


vida buena, poca pena

by starbreads



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, F/F, Fluff, Kara is a CEO, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, but not too slow, lena goes on vacation, theres no angst but i guess its a slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-06-08 16:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15247563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbreads/pseuds/starbreads
Summary: Lena sends Jess on vacation on purpose. Jess sends Lena on vacation on accident.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hoo boy i went on a vacation and it was great and i relaxed and it inspired this! most of the places like the houses and restaurants in this fic are real places i went to so if you're ever in the area i highly suggest them. no beta so yikes this probs has a lot of mistakes dont @ me unless they're really bad lol
> 
> enjoy!

In all the years that Jess had worked for Lena Luthor, not once had she made a mistake. Even at the beginning, Jess made sure to check, double check and even triple check her work thoroughly and was quick to catch any mistakes and fix them as soon as possible. She was absolutely the best secretary anyone could ask for, and Lena considered herself extremely lucky that Jess was as loyal as they came and then some. Lena would go so far as to say she considered Jess her closest friend. A sad fact considering who she was, but nonetheless Lena relied on Jess for more than just being a good secretary. 

Jess basically made sure Lena was fed and slept and a functioning human being, at least enough to run one of the most successful Fortune 500 companies in the United States. Jess the secretary was so loyal she never asked for vacation, always stayed as late as Lena, and then made sure Lena herself was sleeping or at the very least taking a break, and not once complained. And that was why Lena Luthor, heir of the Luthor fortune and CEO of L-Corp decided to strong arm her secretary into taking a much needed vacation. A tremendous feat in and of itself, considering Jess’ stubbornness and her refusal to leave Lena to fend for herself after having had to rely on her for so long. But, Lena was the CEO for a reason, other than it being her family’s company, and she negotiated with Jess so that the secretary was able to take a vacation. 

Jess made preparations before she left for her paid one month and a half, ensuring Lena’s schedule was properly distributed to the relevant staff. She checked, and double checked, and triple checked that everything was in order before she left, and assigned one of the interns to make sure the schedule was followed and as Lena’s temporary secretary. Once everything was ready, Jess bid Lena a goodbye, and was off in the sky to the other side of the world, far away from her duties and on a much deserved break. 

Lena found herself sighing as her own plane landed, feeling a wave of relief once her feet touched the steady ground. She knew, in a scientific manner, that flying was the safest way of traveling, and her own handpicked crew ensured that Lena was safe at all times. However, Lena’s fear of heights was still very strongly in place, and she took a huge breath as she made herself comfortable in the uber she had ordered for the night. Jess’ vacation had sparked the idea that she should nudge more of her employees into taking breaks, so most of her staff had been sent home for the week. As it was, she was lucky enough to get a driver so late at night, but without Jess prompting her Lena had rushed through her final preparations for her travel to a meeting Jess had set up last minute, really only informing Lena of it as she left.

Exhaustion weighed heavy on Lena’s eyelids and it took pure sheer force of will not to fall asleep in the back of the unknown car though she did doze a bit, lurching awake only when the driver turned to inform her that they had arrived at the hotel. She thanked him softly as he helped pull her suitcase out to the curb, and she was grateful that the hotel had a small ramp off to the side that made lugging her rather heavy suitcase much easier. 

The lobby’s lights were dimmed, most likely to not blind anyone coming in so late at night, and Lena rubbed her eyes as she headed to the receptionist’s desk. There were only two people this late, both looking to be around Lena’s age. The man was on the shorter side, around Lena’s height, with an easy smile and boyish good looks as he leaned casually against the desk chatting with his co worker, straightening up as Lena approached. The other staff member, a woman, was taller and blonde, black glasses perched on her face as she was laughing at whatever the man had said, her hands busy folding what looked like brochures of some kind and stacking them neatly in place. 

“Hey! How can I help you?” the man asked, seemingly wide awake despite the late hour.

“Hello, I have a reservation. Tess Mercer.” Lena said, trying her best not to yawn in the man’s face.

“Alright gimme a second while I check.” The man smiled and typed away on the computer in front of him.

“Faster Winn, can’t you see the poor lady is falling asleep?” Winn’s coworker said as she stepped closer.

“I’m trying Kara, I can’t find her name thought.” Winn said, then looked up at Lena. “I can’t find your name ma’am. Is there another name that you might have booked under?”

“Um, try Lena Luthor.” Lena swallowed. She was only mildly concerned about them not being able to find her name. Maybe Jess had been in such a rush that she had booked Lena under her real name and not the one she used when she traveled.

“Kara, she’s not here.” Winn hissed to his companion, as if Lena wasn’t standing right there.

“You’re not looking right, let me try.” Kara slapped Winn’s hands away and began typing.

“Are you even allowed to?” Winn asked, though he made no move to stop Kara.

Kara made a non-committal sound and kept typing, then after a few minutes in which Lena was starting to shift from foot to foot, not liking the time they were spending. It shouldn’t have taken them that long.

“So, we can’t find you in our system.” Kara looked sheepishly at Lena. “Did you book online or by phone?”

“I’m not sure, my secretary booked it for me.” Lena replied.

“Ah, okay. Is there anyway you could ask her? Maybe she booked it under something else and didn’t tell you?” Winn piped in. 

Lena hesitated. It wasn’t like Jess to make a mistake. And as much as Lena was tempted to call her and ask, Jess was on vacation, her first in a long time, and even then Lena knew that if she were to call, Jess would still answer. That’s just the kind of person she was. But Lena was determined to leave her alone, she had to learn how to not have someone tending to her every whim too. 

“No, that’s okay. Can I just have a room please?” Lena asked, running a hand through her tangle of black hair.

Winn shifted uncomfortably. “We don’t have any rooms available Miss Mercer. We’re ‘reservation only’. I’m sorry. We’re kinda full as it is, being summer and all.”

“Well fuck.” Lena felt like stomping her foot and making a big deal, but as soon as she realized that’s exactly what her mother would have done, she took a few deep breaths to steady herself.  
“Okay. Is it okay if I sit on the couches for a bit?”

“Sure, go right ahead.” Kara smiled and gestured to the sitting area. 

Lena felt like her feet were dragging as she headed towards the couches, the sound of her suitcase wheels turning the only sound in the spacious lobby. Once she sat down, she had half a mind of just lying across the couch until morning.

It was three in the morning, and she was so tired, she was past the point of caring. Lena used Google to try and find another hotel, but none were open as late as this one, and the odds of finding someone to drive her were even slimmer.

Lena cursed again, seriously contemplating if she should just lie down. Kara and Winn were at the front desk, having what looked like a serious discussion in hushed tones. Lena thought that maybe they were too polite to tell her anything if she just happened to fall asleep where she was. She wasn’t too concerned about the next morning, since her meeting was still two days away, as she always liked arriving a few days earlier. 

Again, Lena began to nod off, and she was thinking about shifting into a more comfortable position when Kara seemed to appear out of nowhere.

“Excuse me, Miss Mercer?” Kara said. “I know it’s late and no one else is really open this late, but maybe I can help you?”

“It’s fine, um, Kara.” Lena yawned, “ I wouldn’t want to get you into trouble for giving me a room without a reservation.”  
“Oh, i wasn’t going to” Kara chuckled, “I might actually know somewhere that’s open late. I could get you in? It’s not a hotel exactly, more of an...apartment. House? You could stay there as long as you wanted until you figure out what you’re going to do.”

“Really? Are you sure?” 

“Yeah of course.” Kara smiled and grabbed Lena’s suitcase, rolling it behind her to the front doors. “Come on! You look like you’re about to pass out. It’s not that far, just a few minutes away.”

“Coming.” Lena scrambled after Kara, making sure she had her purse and her coat as she sleepily stumbled after the other woman. 

Kara led her over to a classic Volkswagen Thing, bright orange in color with a black convertible hood that was pulled back, exposing the leather interior to the fresh air coming off the sea nearby. Kara stored the suitcase in the back and helped Lena in, making sure she didn’t trip in her half asleep state. 

They drove through winding roads and uphill climbs, Kara expertly guiding the car in the night and sure enough a few minutes later they were pulling up to an orange house that Lena thought appeared rather tall. She wasn’t awake enough to admire it.

Lena remembers little after that, with Kara helping her in and leading her into a spacious bedroom, where she collapsed face first onto the bed, causing Kara to laugh softly, and falling into a deep sleep. 

//

When Lena wakes up in the morning, it takes her a while to get her bearings as she looks around the unfamiliar room. It’s pretty big, almost as big as Lena’s back home, decorated sparsely in light grey and white tones, with a light brown desk against the wall next to a door to her left. The bed is quiet big, something Lena hadn’t noticed in the night, with white sheets and a navy blue blanket thrown over it. To Lena’s right and behind the headboard are windows that take up more than half the wall, letting in bright sunlight, the cause of Lena waking up. To her left there’s a door that Lena guesses leads to the bathroom, and she’s correct as she stumbles in, rubbing away the remains of sleep from her eyes. 

The bathroom is huge, a large jacuzzi tub taking up the middle space, a long sink area with two sinks taking up one wall, a toilet off to Lena’s right with a door for privacy, and wooden doors for a closet on the opposite wall of the toilet. There’s a row of windows above the tub, letting in enough light that Lena doesn’t need to turn on the light as she goes about her business. 

She wanders back out into the room after she showers, a fluffy blue and white striped towel wrapped around her shoulders as she rummages through her suitcase for her clothes and toiletries. Lena feels refreshed once she’s dressed and ready for the day, but still in need of some coffee. 

She wanders outside the bedroom, walking through a short hallway before she gets into the rest of the apartment. It’s large and open, inviting even with windows on all sides. It’s decorated much the same way her bedroom was, in light greys and whites, the furniture in brown adding color to the environment, and the kitchen sporting dark blue marble countertops. She spots Kara in the kitchen, cooking something that smells heavenly over the state of the art oven. 

“Good morning Miss Mercer.” calls Kara over her shoulder without even turning around. “There’s coffee if you want any. I’m making omelettes, is that okay with you?”

“Oh, sure! Thank you.” Lena said, grabbing a cup and serving herself some coffee, sitting down at the bar in the kitchen.

“How’d you sleep?” Kara asks as she finishes cooking and slides a plate with a rather pretty omelette over to Lena, leaning on the bar across from her, a coffee cup held in one hand. 

“Quite well, thank you.” Lena said, eating her omelettes quickly once she realizes how hungry she is. “I really can’t thank you enough Kara. It’s not like my secretary to make a mistake, and I didn’t want to bother her so late at night.”

“No problem at all Miss Mercer, it’s my pleasure.” Kara smiles as she takes a sip of her coffee.

“Please, call me Lena.”

“Okay, Lena. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want, I’m sure the owner won’t mind. She Airbnb's this place all the time.”

“Thanks” Lena murmurs, “I’ll just be here for today. I wouldn’t want to intrude. And please let me know how much I owe as well.”

“Owe? For what?” Kara asks, her brow crinkling in confusion.

“For the night of course.” Lena frowns slightly as she looks Kara over. “And for breakfast.”

Kara laughs then, heartily. “You don’t owe me anything, don’t worry about it.”

“Wait, this is your house?” Lena pauses, her fork halfway to her mouth.

“Yeah” Kara’s nose crinkles rather adorably as she laughs.  
“So, wait. If I slept in that bedroom, where did you sleep?”

“My bedroom is on the top floor actually.” Kara said, finishing her coffee and grabbing Lena’s empty cup and plate and washing them. “I thought I’d make our breakfast together though, so you wouldn’t have to wake up or eat alone.”

“Exactly how many floor does this place have?” Lena stares at Kara.

“Three.” Kara smirks at Lena over her shoulder.

Lena can’t help the sound that she makes, making Kara laugh as she turns and leans across from Lena again. 

“I really do mean it though, you can stay here as long as you want.” 

“No, no. I couldn’t possibly stay here for the week! I’m sure I’ll find a hotel soon anyway.” Lena said.

“Maybe.” Kara hums as she thinks. “It is summer though, and this place gets full of tourists quickly. So tell me, what brings you here in the first place?”

“My secretary scheduled a last minute meeting with some CEO down here. I think he owns an environmental place that does something or other. L-Corp is interested in preserving the earth for future generations and Jess suggested a partnership with Zor-El Entreprise would be beneficial for everyone.”

“Ah, secretary. You must be important than Miss Mercer.” Kara’s teasing tone suggested she knew more than Lena let on, and Lena couldn’t help the slight blush that rose to her cheeks at being found out by her generous host.

“My name is Lena Luthor. I use Tess Mercer when traveling to avoid attracting unnecessary attention.” Lena sighed, deflating slightly. 

“Smart. Wouldn’t expect anything less from the CEO.” Kara smiled and pushed herself off the countertop.

Lena held her breath. She expected to get kicked out. Very few people had positive reactions to hearing her last name, and even though Kara was kind to her so far, she still expected at the very least some anger. Yet, Kara didn’t say anything to Lena as she walked around the kitchen, putting her clean dishes away, just asked Lena if she wanted more coffee or some water.

“You’re not going to kick me out?” Lena blurted, unable to help herself.

Kara spun to face her, crinkle present between her eyebrows again.

“Kick you out? Why would I do that?” Kara asked, genuinely taken aback at the question. 

“Well, you know.” Lena said, “my brother and all. And well, my family in general. The Luthors don’t have the best reputation.”

“That’s just stupid Lena.” Kara rolled her eyes. “I’m not kicking you out. Especially not for something like that. No matter what happened, you weren't involved. You aren’t your brother, or even your mother. I honestly don’t know you that well, and I can’t say I read the news about you, most of it is gossip that I ignore anyway. But you deserved to be treated based on your own merits, not those of your family.”

“Oh.” It was so soft, Kara almost missed it. 

Lena sat there, staring a little dumbfounded at Kara, a little ashamed to admit that she felt the beginning of tears in her eyes. No one had ever said that before, as most people ran the other way as soon as they so much as saw her coming, unless they wanted her money. But Kara was just some random, kind stranger that owed Lena nothing, yet here she was, saying the words that Lena longed to hear for most of her life.

“Hey are you okay?” Kara asked, walking closer. “I’m sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry Lena.”

“I’m fine.” Lena said, waving her hand. “Thank you. For saying that. I appreciate it more than you know.”

“Anytime.” Kara smiled. “Now, I have to go to work. You’re welcome to stay if you like. The fridge is fully stocked so help yourself. I’ll be back in a few hours. Oh, and if you do leave, can you just let me know please? So I don’t have to worry about you being gone so long.”

“Um, yeah, thanks.” Lena blinked in shocked. Besides Jess, no one had ever really looked out for her like that. It seemed like Kara was determined to do everything that no one else had done before.

“Can I see your phone?” Kara asked. “So I can put my number in.”

Lena handed her phone over, watching as Kara swiftly typed and saved her number, then grabbed a bag off the floor that Lena hadn’t noticed.

With an enthusiastic wave and a loud goodbye, Kara disappeared, leaving Lena alone.

“Well fuck.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dj khaled voice* anotha one!
> 
> thanks for the amazing response on the last chapter! here's another one bc your kind words encouraged me to write. enjoy!

Lena stared at Jess’ name on her phone longer than she probably should have, but she was frustrated. She spent three hours on the internet and on the phone calling every available hotel and resort in town looking for vacancies. Most if not all had been full and of the two that had been available, one was an hour away, and the other was a small, dingy hotel that Lena had no interest in, and really only called in desperation. 

She groaned and rolled over on the bed, tossing her phone somewhere among the sheets. Lena really had no idea how Jess managed to do this, on top of all of the other duties expected of her. And really, it was taking everything in her not to give in and call her secretary. But she had made a deal with herself that she was absolutely, under no circumstances to call Jess. No matter how lost or frustrated she felt. 

Lena grabbed one of the pillows off the bed and screamed into it. She needed to find somewhere to stay and soon. Kara had offered to house her, but despite her welcoming hospitality she had no intention of intruding on a stranger’s life, much less one as kind as Kara. She didn’t want Kara’s reputation possibly ruined by associating her with a Luthor. At this point, she was genuinely contemplating buying a house nearby, but she quickly talked herself out of it. That was too extreme, even for her, and a voice in her head that suspiciously sounded like her mother mocked her inability to do this one thing on her own.

Letting out a huff of breath she sat up, searching for her phone between the sheets, she let out a triumphant yell when she found it. Unlocking it, she scrolled through her contacts, looking for the newest one.

[Lena] : Hello Kara. It’s me, Lena. I was wondering if you could help me?

Lena worried her bottom lip as she waited for Kara to respond. She threw herself back down on the bed. Her phone chimed a few minutes later with a response.

[Kara D.] : sure what’s up?

[Lena] : I need a hotel

[Kara D] : have you tried google?

Lena wished Kara was there so she could see how hard she was rolling her eyes.

[Lena] : Yes of course I have. There’s no vacancies.

[Kara D] : i dont wanna say i told you so buuuuttttttt……

[Kara D] : jk jk ill be home in two hours kay? Just sit tight. Have you eaten?  
[Lena] : No, not yet.

[Kara D] : Chinese sound good?

[Lena] : Sure. 

[Kara D] : see u soon

Lena sighed. Having nothing better to do she scrolled through her emails, and seeing that nothing required her immediate attention she switched over to social media. She scrolled mindlessly through her twitter, then getting bored switched to instagram. Her feed showed nothing but people she followed having a great time, either on beaches or dining in lavish restaurants. 

Jess had snapped a picture of herself and her parents in front of the Eiffel Tower, and Lena paused her scrolling to give it a like. Part of her wished she was also on vacation. God knows she was in desperate need of a few days off, but her upbringing instilled a strong sense of single mindedness towards work, and she had yet to break the habit of working herself like a dog. 

Almost as if the universe read her mind, she heard a loud bark coming from somewhere nearby. It startled her, causing her to drop her phone with a resounding thunk to the floor. Grumbling, she picked it up, hearing another few barks again, this time closer. 

She stood up, making her way into the living room area. Through the wide windows she could see Kara’s massive yard, with a breathtaking view of the ocean just beyond the hills. Suddenly something white bounded into her peripheral vision and she turned to watch a large ball of white fluff run across the yard, barking it’s head off. 

[Lena] : Hey Kara, do you own a dog? There’s a white one in your backyard.

[Kara D] : oh yea thats Krypto. dont worry he doesnt bite. Just dont let him in the house, hes dirty, no matter how good his puppy eyes are

[Lena] : He’s cute. But noted.

Kara didn’t reply after that, so Lena decided to watch the big dog play. He ran from one side of the yard to the other, sometimes out of Lena’s sight and as he barked Lena noted that he sounded like he was somewhere on top of her. Weird. Seeing that Krypto was out of sight, she took a chance and opened the sliding glass door, stepping outside into the midday sun.

The weather was nice, and even though the sun was beating down on Lena, the cool breeze was enough to convince her to stay outside for a bit and enjoy the view.   
Kara’s backyard was gorgeous, a rocky pathway cut across the well manicured grass, with succulents lining both sides, and more planted in various spots alongside the house. There were also trees, tall and wide, providing much needed shade. Lena wandered down the path, noticing that it sloped ever so downward with the mountain that the house itself was resting on. The path became wide and circular, before it narrowed again and continued off to the side of the house. When she stood on the circle, she gasped softly. To her left she could see the Gulf, and to her right, the open sea. Kara’s house sat on the precipice of the mountain, as close to the tip of the peninsula as it could safely be.

Lena stood still for a moment, just enjoying the sun before she turned back to the house. She hadn’t noticed just how beautiful Kara’s house was last night, and she took a moment to admire it. It was, in fact, three stories tall, and she could see that she was on the first floor. There was a perfect window to wall ratio, the windows strategically placed so they could have the best view while avoiding the sun’s hot rays.

Hearing movement behind her, Lena turned, coming face to face with Krypto. He was huge, to say the least. Lena had no idea what type of dog Krypto was, but whatever he was he was enormous, and Lena felt a little scared at being face to face with him. It wasn’t so bad when they were separated by a glass wall but now they stood a few feet apart, separated by a low cactus.

She’d never been around dogs much, and she had no idea how to act, not wanting to startle him.

“Hey” Lena said, immediately feeling like an idiot. Who even said ‘hey’ to a dog anyways?

Krypto’s ears swiveled to her, and he panted softly, pink tongue lolling out. 

“I’m Lena, you must be Krypto.” Lena felt like a fool, but in her defense she’d never spent much time around dogs, despite the fact that she liked them.

The dog just watched her curiously, head tilted to one side. He stared right at Lena, and she felt slightly unsettled, until he looked away to somewhere behind her. 

She turned, noticing nothing out of the ordinary until it was too late. She’d left the door open when she walked outside earlier, and they both seemed to come to the same conclusion, Lena wide eyed as she scrambled to reach the door before Krypto. Kara had specifically told her not to let him inside.

Krypto was faster, sprinting inside and then turning, giving Lena what looked like a smug look, his fluffy tail waggin happily.

“Aw Krypto, no.” Lena groaned. “Kara said you can’t be inside!” His ears seemed to perk at Kara’s name, but other then that he had no reaction. 

Krypto promptly lay down in the middle of the floor, legs splayed out, his body stretched as he rested his head on his large front paws.

“Come on! Please? She’s gonna kill me if she sees you in here.” Lena stepped closer to the dog. He just watched her, his mouth open again as he panted.

“Look, I’ll give you food okay? I’ll buy you the nicest, juiciest steak you’ve ever had.”

Lena had reached Krypto now, and she had one hand extended, palm up. Krypto sniffed her hand for a second, then licked it, and Lena yelped, pulling her hand back and wiping it on her dress pants.

“That’s just gross.” Lena mumbled. “At least you don’t bite. Go outside, please? I won’t tell her if you don’t.” 

Again, no reaction not that she expected one anyways, so Lena hesitantly reached out to touch him. He was soft, so much softer than Lena thought he would be, and she ran her hands through his fur, over and over. Her fingers made contact with something leathery, and she grabbed at it, moving his fur so she could see. It was a black collar, almost completely lost between his fluffy hair. She tugged experimentally, and when Krypto didn’t do anything she tugged again, harder. 

Nothing.

“Let’s go you big oaf!” Lena grunted as she pulled. “Heel! Fetch!”

Suddenly, laughter cut through the house, and Lena lost her grip on the collar, falling backwards and landing on her butt.

“Krypto!” A voice called out, “why are you giving our guest such a hard time, huh boy?”

Krypto scrambled up, his nails clicking on the floor as he trotted over to Kara who had just stepped inside. She set the bags in her hands down on the counter before she leaned over to pet him, cooing as she did.

“Kara!” Lena exclaimed. “He just, zipped by me, I swear! I left the door open, I’m so sorry.”

“Aw Krypto!” Kara cooed. “Are you being a bad boy? You know you’re not supposed to be inside, you stinky dog.” Krypto just huffed and sat at Kara’s feet, tail wagging.

“I’m so so sorry. I should’ve paid more attention.” Lena said. “He’s so much faster and stronger than I thought.”  
“Don’t worry about it.” Kara laughed. “I mostly kept him outside for your sake, I wasn’t sure if you liked dogs or not. And he really is dirty.”

“I love dogs.” Lena replied, one hand extended as far as she could go as she walked slowly over to Krypto, petting him on the head as if to prove her point. Kara just laughed again, then gave a sharp whistle, Krypto’s tall ears swiveling towards her as he stood at attention.

“Alright Krypto, out you go.” said Kara. “We don’t want our food to get cold.”

Krypto obeyed immediately, walking slowly outside and disappearing somewhere to the side of the house. 

“What the!” Lena exclaimed. “He listened to you!”

“Yeah, he usually does. He was probably just giving you a hard time to mess with you.” Kara laughed. “Come, sit down. Our food is gonna get cold.”

She gestured towards the bar they had sat at in the morning, pulling a chair out for Lena before sitting herself down, this time next to her instead of across. Lena watched wide-eyed as Kara pulled container after container from the bags.

By the time she was done, six containers in total were laid neatly across the bar. Kara caught Lena’s expression and laughed.

“Is all that for us?” Lena asked.

“Of course not, Krypto is dining with us too.” Kara deadpanned. She casually grabbed a container and starter scoping noodles out on the her plate.

“What?” Lena asked incredulously. 

“I’m kidding Lena.” Kara smiled. “I eat a lot, don’t worry. Nothing will go to waste.”

Lena just stared at her, unbelievingly. Kara had the body of a model, and if Lena hadn’t seen her with her own two eyes working at the hotel last night, she would have assumed that Kara graced the covers of magazines. It would explain why she thought Kara looked familiar, and also as to why she lived in such a luxurious house. 

“Mhmm, right.” Lena said, turning to look through the various containers for something that had a higher ratio of vegetables. 

Sure enough, before Lena could even finish with her first serving Kara was well on her way to her third. Lena paused in her eating to watch Kara, who ate with reckless abandon, absolutely unconcerned about the copious amount of food that she was currently not only attempting but successfully eating. 

By the time Kara decided she was done, as Lena was full after just one carton, only a carton and a half remained. Kara neatly stored them away and cleaned up, the ease with which she did everything showing that it was a common habit.

“So, now that that’s out of the way, what can I help you with?” Kara asked. They had moved from the kitchen into the sunken living room, each with a glass of wine in hand and a bottle on the low coffee table.

“Oh right.” Lena set her glass down carefully on it’s coaster. “You can say ‘I told you so’. I can’t find any hotels in the area. There’s one about an hour or so away but I like being close by in case I’m needed.”

“Like I said Lena, you’re welcome to stay here. I have ample space, and if you need your privacy, I understand. We have an unoccupied floor between us, and both of my kitchens are fully stocked so I won’t have to run downstairs for food.” Kara gave Lena a gentle smile.

“Are you sure?” Lena asked. She didn’t want to impose, or intrude on Kara’s life, as convincing as she was. As much as she appreciated Kara giving her space, it was her house after all. But Kara was just so goddamn kind, it was a breath of fresh air in a world where everyone just wanted to take advantage of Lena’s Luthor status. 

Kara just nodded and smiled. “I’m sure. I’ll make sure to keep Krypto out of your hair too.”

God, Lena couldn’t help but melt a little. Kara said Krypto had puppy eyes but if anyone in this house had puppy eyes it was her, so open and trustworthy. 

“Okay.” Lena said softly, not being able to look Kara in the eyes anymore. “Thank you, Kara. You have no idea how grateful I am. Don’t worry, as soon as I meet with Zor-El Enterprise and get everything sorted, I’ll be out of here.”

“Stay as long as you want Lena.” 

And oh how tempted was Lena to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! catch me on twitter @ astrainze


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys truly are the best! here's anotha oooone.   
> sorry it's a bit of a filler, but we do get some info about zor-el ent.  
> there's a bit more dialogue in this one, so if it's a bit confusing pls let me know so i can fix it. also, this will be updated once a week bc im getting back into my work flow and working on improving my art and i dont wanna rush through the chapters to the point where they dont make sense.
> 
> anyways, enjoy!

Lena woke up to a warm breeze hitting her face. She smiled and stretched, turning over with her back to the draft, sighing contentedly. Kara’s house was far up the mountain, and Lena basked in the quiet, so unlike the constant sounds of the city she was used to, even at the top of the L-Corp tower.

With a satisfied groan, Lena sat up, rubbing at her eyes as the bright sun chased away the remnants of sleep lingering just under her eyelids. Only then did she notice that what she thought was a warm draft was actually the hot breath of a panting Krypto, standing next to her bed.

She was startled for a second, then glared at the dog. “Krypto! You scared the hell out of me!”

Krypto gave a soft ‘boof’, wagging his tail. Lena couldn’t help but smile at the happy doggy grin and reached over to pet him, noticing that his fur was slightly wet. She made a face at him then put her hand to her face, continuing to pet him when she realized that Kara had probably given him a bath, as he gave off the soft scent of lemon.

“You’re one funny dog.” Lena murmured, spending a few more minutes petting the white fluffy dog before she stretched again and headed to the bathroom to get ready.

Unlike the day before, when Lena stepped into the kitchen it was empty, Kara keeping good on her promise of giving Lena her space, even though Lena never asked for it. Krypto took up his spot in the middle of the floor again, the tile providing a cool contrast to the early morning sun outside. 

Lena quickly looked through the cupboards, making a mental note to thank Kara later for her thoughtfulness. They were fully stocked with every food Lena could think of, and Lena made herself a cup of some coffee and cut up some fruit. 

She threw a piece of ham at Krypto, who ate it up contentedly and lay at her feet as she sat at the bar to eat.

A noise by the stairs leading to the second floor caught both their attention and Lena turned to watch Kara trying and failing to sneak down the steps. She looked like she had taken a shower with her clothes on, her wet clothes dripping all over the floor.

“Krypto!” Kara hissed, “I told you to stay upstairs! We’re supposed to leave Lena alone, remember?”

The dog just huffed and made no move to get up. Lena smiled and then outright laughed as Kara slipped on the wet floor and landed sprawled on the floor. 

“Are you okay?” Lena asked as she walked over to help Kara up.

“I’m fine.” Kara replied. “I was giving Krypto a bath and he wandered off as I was cleaning the bathroom. Sorry he’s bothering you, it won’t happen again.”

“It’s fine Kara. I really don’t mind him, he’s good company. As are you. I’m okay with both of you down here, you know. Coffee? I just made it.”

“Sure, thanks.” Kara sat down besides Lena’s place, stealing a grape of her plate and giving her a sheepish smile when she realized that Lena was watching her.

“You can have some Kara.” Lena said, placing a cup of coffee in front of her. “There’s more in the fridge. Also, have I thanked you yet? For everything you’ve done.”

“Only a couple hundred times.” Kara nudged Lena’s shoulder with a grin and stole another grape from her plate.

“Why are you wet?” Lena asked, amused as she watched Kara tug at the uncomfortable clothes.

“Ask him.” Kara grumbled and pointed at the dog by Lena’s feet. Lena laughed and leaned down to pet his head.

They sat in silence as they ate, Kara occasionally swiping a fruit slice here and there, though Lena had moved the plate so it was between them, encouraging Kara to eat fruit too. 

When they finished, Kara ran upstairs to change, promising that she’d be back soon, Krypto hot on her heels.

“So what are you doing today?” Kara asked as she came back down, watching as Lena finished washing and drying their cups and the single plate.

“Research.” Lena replied. “I really know nothing about Zor-El Enterprise and I don’t wanna be blindsided when I got to my meeting tomorrow.”

“Smart. Anything I could help with?”

“Do you know anything about them?”

“Sure. They started off small, as any company does. Zor-El, the founder, was a scientist who loved the planet above anything. His wife a lawyer. They own some of the little islands around here, and they got upset when tourists would come and trash them. They didn’t mind the tourists, so long as they kept the environment clean, but it’s hard to control the actions of people. So they sued the tour companies, claiming that they were damaging their property. They won, and used the money to clean the beaches, and they won the right to implement stricter rules for touring companies. They all have to comply now when visiting, not only on the islands but the entire coast.

They grew from there, with support from local business and getting the attention of other companies, that helped sponsor them as they got their foot in the door. Now, they’re the leading company in environmental innovation, creating technology that is useful and won’t harm the environment. They died in a boating accident years ago, and left the company to their only child.”

“Wow.” Lena said softly. “You really know a lot about them, huh.”

“Yeah.” Kara sighed wistfully. “They were heroes around here. Everyone loved them, and when they died there was a traditional farewell ceremony. The whole town came out to see as they were sent on their floating funeral pyre.”

Lena noticed the beginning of tears in Kara’s blue eyes, but before she could comment the other woman wiped them away, her smile back in place though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.”Anyways, I think you’ll be okay tomorrow.”

“How do you know?” Lena asked, one eyebrow raised.

“I just do.” Kara smiled. “I need to go into town for a bit for some supplies. Wanna come?”

“Sure.” Lena replied. She grabbed her purse, making sure her phone was charged as she pulled on her shoes and got a pair of sunglasses from her suitcase. 

Kara was waiting for her outside, standing next to a sleek red car. She opened the door for Lena and then sat in the drivers side, pressing her hand on the glass radio screen and Lena made a sound in surprise as the car purred to life.

“Cool right?” Kara said, smoothly pulling out of her driveway and making her way down the mountain. “Newest Zor-El model. One hundred percent environmentally friendly, fully solar powered.”

“It’s amazing Kara.” Lena agreed, looking outside the window, recognizing the hotel she had stopped at before as they drove past it. “Where’s your other car?”

“Oh, the Thing? That’s what I use when I go to the beach, not that great for the city.”

Lena didn’t reply, just hummed as she watched the sleepy town slowly coming to life. They drove next to the seafront, and Lena watched as boats floated unperturbed by waves. It was a startling difference from the sea in National City, with dark, churning water and tall waves. 

They stopped at a few places, Lena noticing that it seemed everyone and their mothers knew Kara, as she was greeted by all that she walked by. She was grateful that Kara only ever introduced her as Lena, as she must have sensed her discomfort. It wasn’t that Lena didn’t like to meet new people, there was just always that undercurrent of fear that they would lash out when they learned she was a Luthor. 

It was nice though, not having anyone glare or spit in her face when they met her. She had a feeling some of the people she saw knew who she was, but Kara’s presence at her side prevented anyone from acting out. 

//

“You feeling hungry yet?” asked Kara after pulling out of what she promised was their last stop. It was already past lunch time, and by now the streets were busy, as were the sidewalks, filled with tourists going up and down the seafront, crowds of them standing around the statues that were placed evenly apart on every street corner as they took pictures. 

“I could eat.” Lena replied, taking the view in. While National City was a big city, and sometimes awfully crowded, it was nothing like this. There, everyone walked together, usually only to and from work in a steady flow. Here, it was organized chaos as children and adults alike darted across the busy streets with reckless abandon, and cars drove in a frenzy, barely paying attention to street lights or stop signs. Yet despite it all, there were no accidents. Lena was amazed.

“Great. You like fish? I know a place.” At Lena’s nod, Kara turned off the seafront and into the heart of the city. It was less chaotic but equally as busy, a flurry of activity happening every which way. Lena had a feeling that Kara purposely slowed down so that Lena could watch, the same way she drove by the seafront so that Lena could enjoy the sea view. 

Soon enough they’d pulled in to a small looking stand. Despite the size, there was a rather long line in front. Kara held on to Lena’s hand as she led them over to a sitting area behind the cart, none of the people paying them any attention as Kara pushed a green metal door aside. Lena was about to protest, all words dying on her lips as she gasped as they walked into what appeared to be a bar. 

It was dark inside, a stark contrast to the bright sun, and Lena blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the light. There were two pool tables off to the side, and a good amount of tables scattered throughout the place. Kara guided Lena to the long bar at the back, a hand on the small of her back.

“Kara!” A tall woman standing behind the bar waved them over, grinning brightly. 

“M’gann! I’ve missed you.” Kara said, leaning across the bar to give the woman a hug. “This is my friend, Lena.”

“Friend, huh?” M’gann said, a teasing lilt to her voice. She politely shook Lena’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Lena said, sitting down at the chair Kara pulled out for her.

“We are just friends.” Kara rolled her eyes. “She’s staying with me for a while.”

“If you say so, kid.” M’gann smiled. “What can I get for you guys?”

“Can I get five fish tacos and a soda please?” Kara said, grabbing the bowl of peanuts and shelling them already.

“Um, I guess I’ll get the same?” Lena said. “But three, not five. And a water.”

M’gann nodded and let them know she’d be back soon before she disappeared. Kara threw a peanut at Lena, trying to get her attention.

“Water? Lena that’s so lame.”

“Lame?” Lena laughed. “Excuse me, we can’t all look like you all the time.” Lena gestured to Kara’s frame, grabbing the thrown peanut and shelling it before she ate it. Kara just shrugged and went back to her peanuts.

“You’re in paradise here. You should enjoy it.” Kara said a little wistfully.

M’gann came back just in time to save Lena from responding, balancing two plates and two drinks expertly in her hands. Lena’s mouth watered at the smell. She’d never been a big fan of fried food, but the fish was still sizzling a bit from having just been made, and she almost rivaled Kara’s gusto as they dug in, M’gann laughing as some of the sauce dripped down Lena’s chin.

Embarrassed, she wiped it away, and ate slower. Even though the bar was empty at this hour, she didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of the two other women more than she already had, especially Kara, who had helped her up after she tripped on some uneven sidewalk earlier. 

After they finished, Lena reluctantly ordering another taco at Kara’s insistence, though she had to admit that they were pretty damn good, Kara drove them through the city at a crawling pace. They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, until Lena cleared her throat.

“Hey, Kara?” Lena asked. “What are all those ‘S’ diamonds that we keep seeing. Is that part of the town?”

“Ah, no. Not really.” Kara replied. “It’s the logo for Zor-El Entreprise. It kind of became a signal of hope here. The ocean has always been a part of the local’s homes, so they were unhappy with the way it was being disrespected. Zor-El changed all that, giving them hope that the people and the earth could live together in peace.”

“You know, sometimes you speak of him as if you knew him.” Lena said, turning to look at Kara. The other woman didn’t reply, her face set into a grim smile. Not wanting to push it further, Lena turned back to gazing outside her window. 

The sun was still high in the sky, but after driving by in the morning Lena was unsurprised to see how much busier the streets were getting. There seemed to be even more people out, children zooming by on bikes and skates, laughing carefree. 

Vendors and tourists alike packed the seafront, little stands popping up as the climate cooled. Kara put the windows down, the salty breeze cooling Lena’s flushed cheeks as they drove, and Lena couldn’t help but throw her head back and smile, inhaling the smell of the ocean. 

“I wish I could bottle that smell and take it with me when I go back.” Lena sighed.

“They sell air fresheners, but its not the same thing is it.” Kara quipped. 

“Not even close.” Lena laughed.

“This is my favorite time of day. I wish it was like this all the time.”

“I’ve only been here a few days, but me too. I almost wish I didn’t have to leave.”

“Why don’t you stay longer?” asked Kara.

“I can’t. I have to go back to work. A CEO’s job is never done. And without my secretary, I feel like I have twice as much work. She really helps out, more than I gave her credit for.” 

“That’s too bad. Maybe you’ll change your mind, after tomorrow.”

“What’s happening tomorrow?” Lena turned to look at Kara.

“Your meeting?” 

“Right. I might have to stay longer, if all goes well. I’m sure it will, so hopefully I can stay a bit.”

“Like I said Lena, you’re in paradise. You should take a moment to enjoy it.”

Lena looked outside again, at the people strolling by on the beach, not a care in the world. She sighed and looked away, wishing she was one of them. Kara was right, maybe she could stay a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, thanks for reading! the meeting between Lena and the elusive K. Danvers, CEO of Zor-El Enterprise is coming up!
> 
> talk to me on twitter and poke me to update @ astrainze


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally we get some answers. a little dialogue heavy so if there's anything that needs clearing up pls let me know! 
> 
> enjoy :)

Lena paused in the bathroom in front of the mirror to look herself over. She reapplied a coating of lipstick for good measure, another layer to her CEO persona, and exhaled slowly. Finally, the meeting with K. Danvers, the CEO of Zor-El Enterprise and one of the most sought after names in journalism. 

 

She had spent a few hours before going to bed to search the internet, but besides finding an old newspaper clipping, there was nothing about the CEO. They were very secretive, no social media, no online presence, no published articles besides those that focused on the technology that Zor-El Ent. was developing. Nothing on the person behind the company. Lena was jealous of Danvers, her last name affording her no such luxury of staying in the shadows, despite her best efforts. 

When Lena emerged from her room, she was surprised to find Kara pacing the floor of the living room. She turned at the sound of Lena’s heels clicking on the floor.

“Catch.” she said. Before Lena knew what was happening there was a jingle and a pair of keys flew in a perfect arc towards her. She caught them, but just barely, fumbling them for a second before she turned to Kara with a confused expression on her face.

“What’re these for?”

“The car. For your meeting. You can use it for as long as you want too, I’ll be driving my Volks.” Kara smiled.

Lena took a second to study her, a little taken aback at her attire. Kara was dressed in black slacks and a nice white dress shirt, a unbuttoned black jacket casually thrown over her shoulders. It was very different to what she normally wore, though Lena thought she looked quite nice.

“Thanks Kara.” Lena smiled gratefully. “And where are you off to today? You’re looking awfully fancy.” 

“I, coincidentally, also have a meeting today. Supposed to be some big shot from some big city.” Kara chuckled a little.

“Huh, imagine that.” Lena said. She was too caught up in her own head, her thoughts swirling around as her intrigue for the other CEO grew, to notice Kara’s nervousness. The slight crinkle in her brow, the way her smile wasn't quite as bright or her laugh as full as usual. All typical signs of anxiousness. 

Kara grinned at her. “I need to get going, I’ll see you later? Hopefully?” 

“Yeah, of course Kara. You did promise me the ‘world’s best shrimp cocktail’ today. There’s no way you’re backing out of that one.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kara said, smiling as she tossed her own set of keys from one hand to the other. “Bye Lena, have fun.” 

Lena watched her go, noticing that she was wearing a pair of killer heels as she left, incredibly impressed at her ability to walk in them. 

With another calm exhale, she made her way to the car, confused as she fumbled with the key in her hand, noticing that it wasn’t an actual key. It was in fact just a smooth silver metal, looking like some sort of souvenir, weighing heavier than it looked. It was in the familiar diamond shape she had seen all over the town, with the ‘S’ stamped proudly in the middle. 

She contemplated calling Kara and asking her how in the hell it worked, but she was Lena goodman Luthor, certified genius. Certainly she could figure it out. Remembering that Kara started the car by pressing her hand against the radio glass, Lena did the same, exclaiming in triumph when the car purred to life. 

The navigation system was easy enough to use, and she quickly input the address she got online into the system. Oddly enough, the address was already saved with the shortcut ‘Work’. Lena simply confirmed that that’s where she wanted to go, and after familiarizing herself with the car’s basic functions, she followed the map, driving carefully on the mountain, not used to the terrain compared to the flatness of National City.

She arrived at the glass building shortly after, stopping at the guardhouse outfront. The man didn’t spare her a second glance, just waved her in, and Lena was a little worried about how seriously they took their security, adding it to her mental list of questions she wanted to ask. 

There was a parking space close to the entrance and she made her way inside, stopping in front of a low marble desk where a blonde woman sat, a sleek computer in front of her. She glanced up at Lena and smiled brightly.

“Hi, welcome to Zor-El Enterprise.” She said. “How can I help you?”

“Hello. I’m here for a meeting with K. Danvers.”

“Sure, is she expecting you?”

“Yeah. My name is Lena Luthor.” Lena smiled patiently.

“Alright Miss Luthor, I’ll let her know you’re here, she won’t be long.”

Lena nodded and moved over to one of the chairs sitting across from the secretary, Eve, her name tag helpfully supplied. She paused a bit, confused when Eve referred to the other CEO as ‘her’. Lena couldn’t help but feel just the tiniest bit anxious, unusual for the normally calm and collected woman, who faced her tough, all men board with a strong will.

Everything about this just added more to the air of mystery surrounding Zor-El Enterprise, despite the company’s success and fame in the environmental and technology industry. While she waited, Lena took in as much of the office as she could see. The glass windows offered an amazing view to the outside, the sea visible beyond the short buildings that made up the town.

The inside area where Eve was, was bare in the sense that there was little furniture besides the secretary’s desk and a circle of neatly arranged chairs that served as a waiting area with a low table, a few science magazines scattered on top to keep people occupied. There was an equally similar arrangement of chairs in the opposite corner of the room, fashioned in the same way but colored blue instead of red. 

The only other decorations inside, if they could even be called that, were plants. They seemed to be a part of the building itself, fitting seamlessly into the room, filling the room with the soft smell of soil and flowers. All in all, it was classically minimalistic, and Lena enjoyed the difference from the heavily decorated offices that screamed of wealth that she had come to know. 

“Miss Luthor?” Lena was startled from her musings by Eve’s voice. “Miss Danvers will see you now.”

Lena quickly made her way over to the two large doors that she assumed were the office doors, and Eve pushed them open, gesturing for her to go in. She stepped in and abruptly stopped as she saw a familiar figure framed by the sun standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows.

“Kara?” 

“Hey, Lena.” Kara turned gracefully away from the windows, her smile bright enough to rival the sun, but her eyes dark with apprehension as she turned to face the other woman, clearly expecting some sort of defensiveness. 

Lena just watched her as she made her way over carefully, like she was afraid to startle Lena. She studied Kara, a little taken aback. She looked almost exactly the same way she had this morning, but now her hair was tossed into a messy bun on the top of her head that somehow really looked good on her, and her face was closed off, opposed to the usual friendliness that Lena was getting used to.

“What’re you doing here?” Lena said, clearing her thoughts with a soft cough and a slight shake of her head.

“Can you give me a chance to explain? Please?” Kara’s voice was soft, on the edge of pleading, and really Lena had no other option but to hear her out. She didn’t come all this way just to back out now, not over something so trivial. 

“Of course.” Lena sat at the grey couch that Kara indicated, and the other woman sat beside her. There wasn’t that much space between them, not really on a couch of that size, but the gap was wider than when they had sat together on Kara’s couch the night before to watch a movie that Kara insisted was the best Disney movie ever.

“So.” Kara started, her voice a little higher than normal, and she cleared it loudly before starting again. “You’re probably very confused right now.”

“Understatement of the year.” Lena muttered, getting a small smile out of Kara.

“Right. Well, let me introduce myself, properly. My name is Kara Danvers, CEO of Zor-El Enterprise. I’m sorry if I hurt you by concealing who I really am. I just, I guess I didn’t want you to treat me any differently. You’re the first person I’ve met, in a long time, that doesn’t already know who I am. You don’t look at me with pity in your eyes like everyone else.”

“I can’t say I’m not a little hurt.” Lena confessed, one hand fidgeting slightly with her blouse. “But, I don’t blame you. I do the same thing, for the same reason. So I understand. But I think you, of all people, would know I wouldn’t treat you differently because of your last name. Or pity you. I know how that feels. It kinda just sucks huh?”

Kara nodded, smiling wider this time as she realized that Lena really wasn’t mad at all. Sure, she was surprised, but there was no anger in her words.

“Yeah, it does. But, I’m really glad you know now, it kinda makes things easier. I really am sorry, Lena.”

“I know, Kara. It’s okay. Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.” Kara gesture with her hands at Lena.

“Danvers? I thought this was Zor-El.”

“Ah, yeah. When my parents died, I was thirteen. The Danvers were long time friends of my parents, and they adopted me. I asked to have their name, they were my family too. I’m technically ‘Zor-El Danvers’ but that’s just too long.”

“Oh. Kara, I’m so sorry. That explains everything then.”

“Everything?” Kara tilted her head to the side, blue eyes following Lena’s every movement.

“Yeah. The house, the cars. The way security let me in without a second glance, because I was in your car. How everyone knows you. Your dad was Zor-El. I’m sorry for all that you’ve lost Kara. I’m not saying it in pity, just in understanding. I’m adopted too.”

“I know. Thank you Lena.”

“Can I ask you something else?”

“You just did.” Kara smirked, an expression that Lena was all too familiar with, causing her to roll her eyes even as she laughed.

“You’re ridiculous. Why were you at the hotel? That first night.”

“It’s my sister’s hotel.” Kara laughed. “Winn, he’s my IT guy, best of the best. He was helping Alex, my sister, with upgrading her computer system. I tagged along to help and see Alex. I was on my way out actually when you came in.”

“What a coincidence.”

“I know, right? I wonder, what would you have done, if I hadn’t saved you?”

“I would hardly say I needed saving.” Lena scoffed good naturedly. 

“You looked like you were about to pass out on the couch, Lena.”

“Fine, maybe you’re right. I don’t know. Probably passed out on the couch. I was thinking how both you and Winn looked like you were too polite to tell me anything.”

“If you had, we probably would’ve just let you.I don’t think Alex would have minded. She may look mean but she’s a big softy. Don’t tell her I said that.”

Lena laughed freely, all previous tension that she had felt melting away. Kara looked more at ease, her smile coming easily to her face like it always did, directed at Lena in a way that made Lena feel looked at. Really looked at, beyond her name and her company. 

If she thought about it, Kara was probably the first person who knew Lena as Lena. Jess and Jack, an old colleague of hers, didn’t really count, because she had a professional relationship with them. But with Kara, she would go so far as to say they were friends, and being able to just be herself was freeing in a way Lena didn’t realize that she had been craving.

“So, Miss Danvers.” Lena smiled, stressing Kara’s last name teasingly. “Let’s get down to business.”

//

Kara let out a loud sigh, adjust the sunglasses on her face as the hammock she was on swayed slightly. The sun was still high in the sky despite the late hour, but Kara didn’t mind it at all. In fact, she loved it, the warmth seeping into her skin and making her feel like she was buzzing with energy.

Beside her, under the shade of a palm roof was Lena, lounging on a deck chair. She was wearing a comically large hat and sunglasses combo, but one carefully raised eyebrow as they had made their way out had prevented Kara from making a comment about it lest Lena’s sharp tongue struck back. Still, she couldn’t help but chuckle a little as she turned to look at her friend. 

Lena looked up from the book she was reading, an eyebrow raised but the smile on her face dispelling any fear that Kara would have felt at the look. 

“So?” Kara asked, adjusting herself to look at Lena better.

“So what?” Lena replied.

“So was that not the best shrimp cocktail you’ve ever had, or what?”

“Hmm.” Lena paused, humming softly. Kara fidgeted as she waited and Lena laughed. “It was pretty damn great.”

“Told you!” Kara fist pumped and smiled smugly. 

“You’ve been holding out on me Kara.” Lena said, relaxing into her chair as she set her book aside.

“How so?”

“I had no idea you even had this area up here.”

“I did tell you I sleep on the top floor, right?”

“Alright that’s true. But Kara, you have two pools! And there I was, sweating away, wishing the ocean was closer so I could jump in.”

“I’m sorry.” Kara laughed, throwing her head back. “Well, now you know. Feel free to come up here anytime you want. You are staying, right?”

“I am. What you’re doing here, all the things your company has accomplished. There’s no way I can pass an opportunity like this up.”

“Glad you think so.” Kara smiled contentedly.

A moment passed when neither of them spoke, enjoying the fresh air and the smell of the sea, the silence settling them over gently. There was no stiffness to just being in the moment together. Lena loved it. She especially liked the fact that there were no awkward moments with Kara, period. Despite just meeting her, they’d gotten along spectacularly. And they were easily able to use their natural chemistry for their business too, quickly working out a partnership between L-Corp and Zor-El Ent. All in all, the meeting couldn’t have been better. Lena was so glad that it was Kara. Kind, sweet, secretly a genius Kara Zor-El Danvers, that was her business partner.

“Kara, can I ask you something?”

“You just did.” Kara said, echoing her words from earlier with a laugh. Lena huffed and chucked a sandal at her, missing by a good three feet, causing both of them to burst into laughter. When they settled again, Lena continued. 

“How come there’s no information online about you? I mean, your company is everywhere. But I didn’t even know that, well, you were you until I saw you in your office.”

“That’s something I worked very hard on.” Kara sat up again, taking her sunglasses off to look right at Lena, her eyes serious. Lena sat up too, focusing on Kara. “I didn’t want people to focus on me. I’m just a person. Sure, I own the company, but I wanted what we were doing to be in the limelight, not myself. I’m extremely lucky that my parents knew Cat Grant, and we have a deal that she’ll keep me out of the news if I give her the first exclusives on what we’re doing.”

“Ah, the Queen of all Media. I did wonder how you managed to do that, being the CEO and all. Explains a lot. Cat has a hell of a lot of power.”

“Yeah.” A beat. “I’m sorry you don’t have the same luxury.”

“It’s okay. I’m used to it by now.”

Kara settled again in her hammock, glasses back on her face. “Still. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be followed like that everywhere. I’m grateful the people here respect my privacy that they don’t do that. It all goes back to my parents.”

“They were heroes Kara. And in your own right, you are too.”

“Thank you.” 

Lena just hummed again, stretching out in her chair and exhaling. 

“I don’t know where you get the willpower to leave your house. It’s just perfect up here.”

“Yup, I really think I could stay up here forever. But, I like working too much to stay in one place.”

“I know that feeling all too well. Sometimes I don’t even want to leave my house. Usually when I have to deal with my board.”

“Lena Luthor, notorious workaholic, saying she wants to slack off? What will the masses think?”

Lena rolled her eyes, even though Kara couldn’t see them behind her sunglasses. “I’ll have you know I haven’t taken a proper vacation in years.”

“So I’ve heard. If it helps, neither have I.”

“Kara, everyday here is like a vacation. That doesn’t really count.”

“Fine, you’re right. I still say you need to take some time off for yourself though.”

“I’m starting to think you want to tarnish my reputation as a workaholic Miss Danvers.”

“Me?” Kara asked, dramatically clutching her chest with one hand. “I would never!”

“Sure.” Lena chuckled.

“Alright, how about this. Come out with me to the bar tomorrow? My friends and I go every Saturday. You can meet the gang.”

“Um, I don’t know Kara. I wouldn’t want to intrude. You’re doing so much for me right now, both in and outside your company. I don’t wanna take time away from you more than I already am.”

“Don’t be silly Lena. We’re friends now, right? Friends hang out. Outside of work, and as fun as this is, you need to enjoy a proper night at a good bar. I promise you’ll be okay. Loosen up a little! If you don’t like it we can come right back, okay?”

“I can be very loose when I want to, I’ll have you know.” Lena muttered. Kara burst out laughing, causing Lena to glare at her, the usual effectiveness of it lost by the hat she had on. “Fine, I’ll go.”

“You won’t regret it Lena.” Kara bounced excitedly in her hammock. Lena smiled at her antics, deciding that the happiness practically oozing from Kara at the acceptance of her invitation was worth the embarrassment she was likely to encounter at the bar. It really had been way too long since she’d just gone out with her friends. Lena didn’t think she would regret it at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! come talk to me on twitter @ zrhueiaos (sorry i changed my name, whoops)   
> I do have an end goal in mind, but if you have any suggestions about something you'd like to see in the fic while we get there, let me know! 
> 
> comments and kudos keep me writing, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to do that! and to everyone reading this fic. ily all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry for the wait i've been so busy oops.  
> but! to make it up to you guys this is an extra long chapter to make up for it? please don't hate me ;A;  
> enjoy!

Saturday morning found Lena waking up much later than she was used to. She and Kara had talked the night away, albeit unintentionally, mostly about themselves and stuff they were interested in. They had decided right away that they weren’t to talk of anything work related at home, since Kara was very adamant about keeping her work and home life separate/

It was a bit of a struggle for Lena, who lived and breathed her job, but it seemed that Kara was absolutely determined to get Lena to enjoy herself and separate herself from her work, even if that meant that Kara had to nudge Lena a little outside her comfort zone. Which is why they had stayed up so late, sharing one of Kara’s fancy bottles of wine between them, both in celebration of their newfound partnership and that Lena was willing to give Kara a chance to get her to ‘loosen up’. 

Lena rolled out of bed, attracted by a sound in the kitchen, not bothering to tame her wild mane of hair before she wandered out of the bedroom, not caring if Kara saw her as anything less than completely put together.

In the kitchen, the countertops were strewn with bags from the grocery store, and Lena rummaged curiously through them. An eager Krypto watched her from his place on the floor, puppy eyes begging Lena to drop something so he could eat it. 

“Lena! Good morning.” Kara’s head popped out from behind the open fridge door, shooting Lena an apologetic smile. “Hope I didn’t wake you. I was trying really hard to be quiet, but I’ve never been good at it.”

“Good morning Kara.” Lena said, stifling a yawn. “You didn’t wake me, you’re fine. I am however immensely curious as to what these bags are for?”

“I went grocery shopping.” Kara turned back to the fridge, the ‘duh’ heavily implied in her tone, causing Lena to roll her eyes.

“As great of a host you are, you do realize I can’t possibly eat all of this by myself? I might have to share with Krypto.” At the mention of his name, Krypto trotted over to Kara, sticking his head into the open fridge.

“I do realize that, but I eat a lot. As you’ve probably noticed.” Kara shoved Krypto’s huge face out of her way, stepping back from the fridge to grab another bag. Krypto huffed indignantly, probably realizing that the humans weren’t going to share any of the yummy new food, and plopped back down in his spot. As Kara reached by Lena and grabbed a bag, Lena realized Kara was wearing a bright pink sports bra, her torso exposed to the open air for all to see.

“I have noticed. I still don’t get how you can look like, well, that, and eat as much as you do.” Lena flushed a little as she looked away from, God did Kara have abs? LIke actual, real abs?

“I work out.” Kara said, gesturing to her obvious work out clothes then turned back to the fridge. 

“Right. I can see that.” Lena decided that she needed coffee before she dealt with anything else this morning, so she set about turning on the coffee machine, the sharp smell of the coffee wafting through the air.

“You want some breakfast?” Lena asked, eyeing the various food on the counter as she decided what to make for herself.

“Sure, if it’s no problem. I only had a smoothie before I left, so I’m starved.” Kara apparently deemed the fridge done and closed it, turning to the bags and taking out food to be stored in the pantry. 

“Coming right up.” Lena, very successfully thank you very much, managed to make them both breakfast without getting distracted by Kara’s well sculpted muscles.

Lena called Kara over once their food was ready, and sent a quick thanks to whatever higher being was out there that Kara had grabbed a shirt from somewhere and put it on before she sat to eat. Lena really didn’t think she could survive being in such close proximity to her friend’s sweat slicked body, especially as they ate, since Kara had a tendency of making rather obscene noises of pleasure when she ate good food, making Lena think -briefly- of some definitely not friendly activities that involved her kind host. So far in Lena’s experience it was every time she ate, but she couldn’t find it within herself to point it out to her friend so she just sat and tried to power through her rather delicious breakfast, thankful regardless of the new yellow shirt Kara wore.

She was thankfully distracted as she watched Kara not so discreetly fed Krypto some bacon, causing Lena to mock glare at her.

“Don’t tell me you suddenly don’t like bacon Kara. I’ve seen you inhale half a pack without blinking.” Lena said, a teasing tone in her voice, even though they both knew she was doing the exact same thing, Krypto bouncing around their feet as they fed him.

“Never.” Kara laughed. “But honestly tell me, how can you resist those puppy eyes?”

Lena glanced at Krypto, the dog looking up at her with his big brown eyes, panting softly.  
“I just like him because he looks at me from my worst angle and loves me anyways.”

“You have literally no bad angles Lena.” Kara scoffed. “And no, that is not up for argument. I said what I said, and I stand by it.”

“You’re just saying that because we’re friends.” Lena said, grateful Kara was busy looking at Krypto to notice the light brush dusting her cheeks. 

“Lena.” Kara’s no nonsense tone was backed by the serious look in her eyes as she turned to face her friend. “I’m serious. No bad angles. Not up for debate. Agree or I won’t show you this cool thing I’ve been working on.”

“What happened to not taking your work home?” Lena said, grateful for the obvious attempt to change the subject. “Don’t tell me you’re breaking your own rules.”

“Me? Never. This is not a Zor-El project so it doesn’t count. I think you’ll like it. Maybe. It does require that we travel by sea. So I suggest you put on your swimsuit and meet me here back in an hour.”

“I hate to say this, but I don’t have a swimsuit Kara.”

“Lena I swear I’m two seconds away from screaming. Who doesn’t bring a swimsuit here?” Kara looked so offended by the idea, not able to fathom the thought that someone would come here to her coastal city without a swimsuit. “Okay, don’t worry about it. I have one of Alex’s swimsuits around here somewhere. Gimme a sec and I’ll bring it okay?”

Lena didn’t even have a chance to reply before Kara was off, bounding up the stairs with a single minded purpose. She took the chance to clean up the kitchen, putting the last of the groceries away while she waited for Kara to return.

Kara came back a short while later, now dressed in red swim trunks and a blue bikini top, a white unbuttoned shirt completing the look. 

“Ta-da!” Kara presented Lena with a one piece black swimsuit. “This should fit you just fine. Go get ready, I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

With her borrowed swimsuit in hand, Lena went to her room to get ready. She had no idea what she was even going to get ready for, as Kara had waved any questions away and only offered her a smug smile. The only thing she suggested besides the swimsuit was Lena’s large hat, sunglasses, and a tremendous amount of sun block.  
Lena winced internally at the thought of spending any significant amount of time under the sun’s rays. Regardless, she had nothing better to do, despite normally working Saturdays. It came as no surprise that it was also Kara’s doing, the incredulous look on her face when Lena asked when they were going to work enough to get her to shut up and accept that Kara was a lot more nonchalant when it came to working on the weekends. If she was being honest with herself it was her first Saturday off in as long as she could remember, and even though she was incredibly intrigued by Kara’s tendency to shroud everything in mystery, she did as was asked, then moved to the living room, sitting on the rather comfortable couch as she waited for the other woman to appear.

“Ready?” Kara bounced on the other end of the couch, jostling Lena.

“Sure, let me just get over the fright you gave me.” Lena said, rolling her eyes and feigning pain as she clutched at her chest. Kara laughed and led the way outside to her car.

They climbed into Kara’s Volks, Kara driving them since Lena clearly had no idea where they were going.

“You know you’re so dramatic sometimes.” Kara said.

“Only sometimes?” Lena raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, all the time. But you said it, not me.”

Lena laughed and looked out the window, watching the sun slowly make its way up in the sky. “So are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?”

“Ask me again and I’ll turn this car around.” Kara said, grinning cheekily.

Lena huffed and pouted, arms crossed in the fashion of a scorned child. She knew that Kara wouldn’t turn the car around if she asked again, Kara was very clearly excited about whatever they were going to go see. But still, Kara did say she was dramatic, and she certainly lived up to it, lower lip dramatically sticking out the rest of the way.

Kara pulled up next to a pier, parking her car in the slot labeled ‘Number 3’. As Lena got off the car, Kara grabbed a bag from the trunk of the car, then lead Lena over to a gate that closed the pier off from public access.

There were rows of boats in all sizes, ranging from tiny tour boats to an enormous one that boasted five stories. Lena’s eyes widened as she took the huge boat in, Kara making her way carefully down the rows.

“Please don’t tell me that mammoth of a boat is yours Kara.”

“Don’t be silly Lena, that’s just my weekend boat.” Kara threw over her shoulder.

“What?” Lena said incredulously, her flip flops, also borrowed from Alex, slapping hard against the wood underfoot as she walked faster to catch up to Kara.

“I’m kidding.” Kara said, throwing her head back in laughter. “The look on your face was worth it. My boat isn’t that big, it’s this one!”

“Kara that’s not a boat, that’s a yacht.” Lena said, eyeing the two story boat. It was not one of the biggest ones that were docked, but it was definitely a huge boat. It was all white with blue trimming, the name ‘Karanizu II’ proudly painted on the side in blue, bold letters.

Kara wasted no time in jumping on, dumping the bag she carried on the floor before she turned and extended a hand to help Lena get on.

“Still a boat Lena.” Kara grabbed Lena’s waist to steady her as she got on the boat, then whirled away once both of Lena’s feet were firmly planted on the deck. She quickly undid the ropes that tethered the boat to the pier, not giving Lena any time to admire the boat as she instructed her on throwing the boat fenders over the sides while she carefully maneuvered the boat away from the pier. 

“Here take these.” Kara held out a hand to Lena, not taking her eyes off as she steered the boat, careful not to hit any of the other boats docked or drifting a few yards from the pier. In her palm were two small, orange pills, and Lena eyed them curiously.

“What are they for?” She grabbed them, bringing them closer to her face, getting a hint of the smell of oranges.

“Dramamine. I don’t want you throwing up all over my baby.”

“I’m not gonna throw up.”

“Right, but we are barely moving. When I speed up, you might not feel that great. Please? I want you to enjoy where we’re going. There’s some water in the kitchen.”

“Fine. You better not go fast while I’m in there. I’ll wreck your pretty boat out of spite.” Lena heard laughter follow her as she walked down the hall and made her way into what was very obviously a kitchen. It was small yet decorated lavishly in dark wood. There was a standard sized fridge, a small stove, a microwave and a table with four chairs. 

She opened the fridge, grabbing two water bottles before she headed back, not pausing to peek into the closed doors in case Kara did speed up just to mess with her. She took both pills, grimacing slightly at the bitter taste then took a grateful swig from her bottle. 

Kara smiled at her as she walked in. “You good? Sit down on the chair. It’s gonna be about a thirty minute trip.”

“Where exactly are you taking me?”

“Lena Luthor I will throw you overboard if you ask me again.” Kara glared at her, but the smile on her face just ruined the effect, and Lena chuckled.

“Alright. I thought that was gonna work for sure.” Lena tightened the lid of her bottle, placing Kara’s in a cup holder as she made her way to the back of the cabin and sat on a cushioned seat, bracing herself for the ride.

It was surprisingly a lot smoother than she thought, the boat easily cutting through the water. If it wasn’t for the occasion wave breaking against the hull and jostling them a little, it felt like being in a car.Lena watched as the pier became a tiny dot in the distance before it disappeared, Kara in a race as she chased the sun through the water to their destination. They passed numerous islands, Kara slowing down and sometimes stopping to offer tidbits of information about them. 

“This is Turtle Island, and that’s Rooster Island.” Kara pointed at two islands, side by side, separated by about fifty feet of water. They were tall, jutting about twenty feet into the sky, and plain on the top, the sides rugged. Birds flew overhead, squaking loudly as they fought for prime roosting land. “And before you ask, no, it’s not our destination.”

Lena frowned and stuck her tongue out at her friend.

“I was going to show you a starfish but you’re being mean.” Kara trailed off, watching Lena.

“I’m kidding! Okay I’m sorry. I promise I won’t ask again.”

Kara laughed and lowered the anchor then walked out of the cabin, with Lena at her heels. They went to the front deck, Kara leaning over the side of the boat to make sure the anchor wasn’t in any coral.

“Kara, it’s beautiful.” Lena stood next to her, hands tightly gripping the rail as she leaned over, looking into the water. It was clear, clearer even than any pool she had ever been in, and Lena could see straight to the bottom. It was also deep, but with the sun at its peak it was like looking through glass. She watched in awe as schools of bright colored fish swam by, darting in the water. Below them, colorful coral was rooted in the sandy bottom. 

There was a splash and Lena jumped back, startled out of her reverie. “Kara?”

Kara’s head broke the surface of the water, a smile on her face as she looked up at Lena.  
“Come on in! The water’s great.” Kara was easily treading the water, looking as happy as can be. When Lena hesitated, Kara tilted her head. “Please tell me you know how to swim.” 

“Of course I do!” Lena exclaimed, quickly shedding her cover up and sandals, throwing herself over the side of the boat without a second thought just to prove her point.

She gasped as she hit the water, not expecting it to be as cold as it was, and when she surfaced, she splashed Kara, glaring at her as the other woman laughed.

“You said it was good!” she spluttered, moving wet tendrils of her hair out of her face.

“It is good! It’s hot, the water is cold. Perfect balance. Also I can’t believe you fell for that!” Kara laughed, floating on her back and paddling in circles around Lena. Lena huffed and splashed Kara again, but Kara ignored her and drifted in the lazy current.

A school of silver fish swimming by caught her eye, and she turned in the water to follow them. The sun reflected off their shiny scales, making it look like they sparkled as they darted under the water and Lena watched, fascinated by their movements. When they crossed paths with another school of fish, they split neatly in half, reuniting onced they passed each other. It was interesting to watch how they swam, and Lena wondered which fish was considered their leader.

It took her a moment, lost in her thoughts as she was, to notice that Kara’s gentle splashing was gone. She turned back to the boat, but Kara wasn’t there. Lena panicked, but as she looked in the water she spotted her, her blue and red swimsuit bright against the dull blues and greens of the ocean bottom. Kara’s hair trailed behind her in the water, golden in the sun. Lena watched as she swam to the bottom, impressed that she could hold her breath for so long. 

Kara resurfaced not long after, something cradled gently in one of her hands. “Here, don’t drop it.”

Gently, Kara placed a black and red starfish in Lena’s palm. It was slightly smaller than her hand, it’s dark colors in contrast with Lena’s skin. She studied it in awe. The starfish gently moved, likely bothered that it was taken out of the water.

Lena kicked with her legs to stay afloat, using her other hand to stroke the rough back of the starfish. She traced the red patterns on it’s skin. “Kara, it’s beautiful.”

When she looked up, Kara was looking at her with a soft smile on her face. “Yeah. Beautiful.”

Lena looked back down at the sea creature. She studied it for a few more moments, smiling when it’s leg tubes wiggled against the sensitive flesh of her palm.

“Alright, we still have a lot to see.” Kara gently grabbed the starfish from Lena. “There’s a ladder on the back of the boat. I’m just gonna drop this guy back. I’ll see you soon.”

With a small splash, she was gone, her strokes and kicks strong as she swam to the sea floor. Lena watched her for a moment then swam to the boat, making her way to the back. 

Sure enough, a short metal ladder sat in the water, and she climbed it, struggling a bit with the unfamiliarity of it. Kara followed soon after, pulling out two towels from a cupboard set in the side of the deck, next to a small sitting area. She handed on to Lena, and they set about drying themselves, sitting on the padded chairs with the red towels wrapped around their shoulders.

“It’s so beautiful out here Kara.” Lena broke the silence with a soft murmur. There was something about being in the middle of the ocean, with no one around, only the sun and the sea and the fish that made it seem like almost an entire other universe.

Lena had seen her fair share of the sea before. However, it was nothing compared to this view. The sea was just so different, so unlike anything she had ever experienced before, and Lena couldn’t help but fall a little bit in love with it.

They sat still for a moment, just watching the soft waves. The only sound was the birds on the islands and the splash of water as the boat swayed gently. 

A few more minutes passed and then Kara tapped Lena’s bare thigh with her hand. “We still have a lot of ground to cover.”

They strolled back into the cabin, Kara taking her place behind the wheel and Lena back in the seat she first occupied. A few presses of buttons here, a flick of a switch there, and the anchor was raised, the engine of the boat humming gently as it was started up again. 

Kara drove the boat slower this time, pointing out different islands and shapes in the rock face, for which the islands were named after. A particular island caught Lena’s eye. There were trees growing on the side of the rocks, the roots clinging tightly to the sides as the branches extended upwards, like arms stretched towards the sun. Kara let the engine idle as Lena pulled her phone out and took a couple of pictures.

“Lena, go out on the deck. I wanna show you something.” Kara gently asked. Lena raised an eyebrow, a little intrigued and did as she asked. When she stepped out, she could hear a noise that sounded a lot like barking that she hadn’t noticed from the inside. Kara slowly moved the boat forward, going around an island that jutted high enough that Lena couldn’t see around it. Whatever was making the noise was just around the bend.

When they passed the bend, Lena gasped, standing up in her excitement. In front of her, a few short yards away was an outcropping of rocks. Hundreds of sea lions lay on the rocks, basking in the sun - the source of the noise. 

“Kara!” Lena exclaimed, not knowing what else to say. Kara dropped the anchor and turned the engine off before making her way to the deck to Lena’s side. 

“Pretty cool right?” Kara grinned, making cooing noises at the animals on the rocks. “I like going swimming with them. Curious little guys, they’ll play with you.”

“You can do that?” Lena gasped. 

“Sure. I wouldn’t recommend it right now though, look.” Kara pointed to an outcropping directly in front of them guiding Lena’s gaze. 

Lena squinted a bit as she looked. “What am I supposed to be looking at exactly?”

“There. Don’t you see it? It’s a baby.”

“A baby?” Lena squinted, eyes sweeping the rocks until she spotted it. It was cuddled up against its mother. It was so small, about the size of a fat squirrel, brown and fuzzy, it’s head too heavy for its body as it struggled to look around. “It’s so tiny!”

“Yeah.” Kara hummed. “I’d say that little guy is no more than two days old. If we jump in the water all the moms will attack us.”

Lena, now knowing what she was looking for, followed baby sea lion to baby sea lion, marveling at how absolutely tiny the creatures were. She pulled out her phone once again to take pictures, zooming in on the babies anytime she spotted one.There was a splash as a large bold male dropped his heavy body in the water, swimming to the boat and curiously peeking his head out to watch them.

“Hey dude.” Kara greeted him. “You’re a big one huh? Are these your kids? You’re a dad?”

The sea lion huffed, it’s nose and whisker twitching. It gave two sharp barks, startling Lena enough that she jumped and grabbed Kara’s forearm, thankfully not dropping her phone in the water. The sea lion seemed to laugh at her as it swam away.

Kara was polite enough not to wince at Lena’s strong grip on her arm, just gently reassured her that she was okay.

“Sorry, he’s so much louder than I thought.” Lena smiled sheepishly, her arm swinging back down to her side. Kara waved her apology away and then guided her back inside.

For an hour they went like that, hopping from island to island, Kara acting as a tour guide as she told Lena about the different animals and plants that inhabited the islands and the sea around them.

Lena took pictures at every opportunity she could, not wanting to forget such a wonderful experience.

“Hey Kara? What’re those tents for?” Lena pointed to an island to their right. It was pretty far away but she could make out five green tents on the sand.

“Ah, the tents?” Kara said. “They’re my friend J’onn’s. He rents them out to families during the summer. Makes a killer living, only needing to work three months a year. Families stay on the island for a week, J’onn provides them with food and water, then picks them up on his boat when the week is over. It’s nice, having an island to yourself.”

“I don’t think I could be anywhere without internet for a whole week.” Lena murmured.

 

“Lena” Kara sounded exasperated. “Vacation. Paradise. That means no work. I’ll get you to relax one of these days, just you wait.”

“I’m relaxed now!”

Kara just hummed, shrugging a shoulder. “It doesn’t count, you came here for business in the first place. Imagine if I hadn’t offered you my house. I can already picture you hunched over your laptop, typing away.”

Lena blushed at being obviously called out, not even bothering to provide Kara with a retort. She was right, she would have been working all day, and a part of her was a little anxious at not getting any work done. Still, the least she could do was humor Kara for the day, after everything she had done for her, and she had no regrets about spending the day at sea. Everything she had experienced so far was more than worth it.

They passed another island, this time crowded with boats similar to Kara’s. Kara couldn’t help but grimace a little at them, muttering under her breath in an angry tone. Lena didn’t catch the words, but the look on Kara’s face was enough to let her know she wasn’t too happy about seeing them, especially the crinkle that formed between her eyebrows, a tell Lena recognized that appeared when Kara was angry or upset.

“Now look who’s stressed.” Lena joked, hoping to diffuse the tension.

“Sorry.” Kara’s cheeks colored a tad. “All those boats are tourists. I don’t like them, messy and all.”

“Ah, that's right.” Lena looked out again across the water, watching the little dots she could make out as people run on the sand or swim in the sea around the island. “I’m a tourist, does that mean you don’t like me?”

“You’re different, you don’t count.” Kara huffed, and Lena chuckled a bit, patting Kara on the shoulder.

“I’m glad you like me.”

“Who wouldn’t?” It was spoken softly, Lena wasn’t sure if she heard it at all or simply imagined it, but she smiled to herself nonetheless, biting her lip, pleased in the fact that Kara liked her enough not to lump her in with a group of people that the whole town seemed to have disdain for. 

They passed the boats, and the islands, Kara making her way to the open sea. 

“Alright Miss Luthor, are you ready to see what the fuss is all about?” Kara grinned at Lena over her shoulder, guiding the boat to an island devoid of any humans.

“Yes!” Lena smiled, excited by the prospect of seeing whatever Kara was going to show her.

Kara set the anchor down, as close to the shore as she could get without the boat getting stuck in the shallow water. Once she was sure the boat wouldn’t float away, she carefully climbed over the side of it, not wanting to jump into the shallow water and hurt herself, as she had done one to many times to count. She helped Lena down, hands steadying her descent, and then they both waded to the shore, grabbing towels from the black duffel bag Kara had strapped to her shoulders so the could dry off. 

“What’re we doing here?” Lena asked, looking curiously around. About ten yards away from the beach, a low fence stood, as far as she could see, even going up the sides of the mountains on both sides. 

“Almost there.” Kara said, trekking up the beach. They reached the fence and Kara deftly climbed over it, as short as it was, offering her arm for Lena to use to balance as she followed suit. 

The sand was hot and Lena winced, with half a mind to go running back over to the cool sea, but when the sand ended there was grass, long and skinny and it was noticeably cooler than the sand. Lena gratefully hopped towards it.

“Oops, I didn’t think the sand would be that hot.” Kara apologized as she walked in front of Lena, following some sort of invisible path that only she could see.

“I’m more worried about the fact that we’re on some wild goose chase.” Lena countered, carefully sidestepping a small bush. 

“We’re here!” Kara proclaimed, stopping so suddenly that Lena walked right into her back, scrambling to grab Kara’s shoulders so she wouldn’t fall over.

“Geesh, warn a girl next time.” Lena huffed, walking to stand beside Kara. “So, what exactly are we looking at now?”

“This!” Kara gestured to the open space in front of them with wide arms. It didn’t look any different to Lena than the sand behind them, or next to them. It was still just grass and sand, with small bushes sparsely scattered here and there.

“Oh yeah, that’s great Kara.” Lena said sarcastically.

Kara just laughed and dropped to her knees, digging slightly at the sand in front of her.

Lena leaned over her shoulder, convinced that the hot sun had driven Kara mad, and was about to say as much, when something white flashed in front of her. She watched then as Kara oh so carefully continued to dig into the sand, clearing a space about two feet wide. 

There, nestled in amongst the sand and thin grass where eggs. Lots and lots of eggs.

“Eggs?” Lena asked, dropping to her knees besides Kara to look closer. 

“Yup. Turtle eggs.” Kara turned to Lena, a big smile on her face. “The turtles lay them here, that’s what the fence is for. So people don’t accidentally trample them. I wanted to come and see if they had laid them yet. Pretty cool, right?”

“Pretty cool indeed.” Lena smiled back, enamoured with how passionate Kara was about the wildlife. 

Kara pulled out a small pad and pen from her duffel. Together, they counted the eggs, Lena helping Kara dig a few feet around to make sure they got them all and counted them again, just to make sure. Kara measured the size of a few of them, and then they both covered them back up, making sure not to pack the sand too tightly. 

Lena sat down as Kara went around, crinkle present as she concentrated hard on writing down whatever it was she was writing down, Lena was content to just watch her, Kara obviously in her element. Eventually Kara was satisfied with her findings, smile on her face as walked back over to Lena and grabbed the bag, stuffing her pad and pen and the two towels.

“Ready to go?” Kara held a hand out to Lena, helping her up, and the two of them trudged back through the sand, over the fence and back into the water. 

“It’s so peaceful here.” Lena said, once they were back on the boat, slowly making their way back to the mainland. “I kind of don’t want to leave.”

“Me either.” Kara said as she looked out over the sea, eyes fixed on the horizon. “I am however, starved. So, back we go. Plus I did promise Alex that she would meet you today. Bar, drinks, human interaction.”

“You’re a human, we’re interaction right now.” Lena replied, eyebrow raised in a challenge.

Kara groaned and threw her head back goodnaturedly. “Why are you so against fun?”

“I’m not! I just, don’t ever have time for it I guess. Everything is business, even growing up. My brother and I, Lex, we were groomed for this.”

“What, you never went outside and kicked a ball around with the neighbors?” Kara turned around to look at Lena, the frown on her face deepening as Lena shook her head. “What did you do then, when you were bored?”

“Lex taught me chess. We played whenever we got the chance. He was good, but I was better. After awhile he got frustrated because I would always beat him. So we stopped playing.”

“And after?”

“I read. I love reading. After, I read for pleasure, getting lost in the lives of other people, and then I read for school, and now for work. So no, no fun for me.” Lena shrugged one shoulder like it was no big deal, turning away from the sad look in Kara’s eyes to look at the sea instead. 

Kara just hummed, lost in thought. They were both quiet then for the rest of the way back. Kara docked the boat, Lena helping guide her between the other boats on the sides, careful not to bump them. They didn’t speak much, both too lost in their own thoughts, and Lena a lot more tired than she realized, and hungry too.

Kara drove them back, blasting some classic N’SYNC that she loudly sang to, clearly trying to clear the bit of tension between them. It worked, Lena laughing at Kara’s silly dance moves in the car, grinning as she watched her wiggle from side to side in her seat, sometimes trying to get Lena to join but more than content to be as silly as possible.

When they got to back to the house, an eager Krypto greeted them at the door, tail wagging enthusiastically as they walked in. Kara fell onto the couch, and Krypto scrambled to climb up with her. She pushed him off, and Krypto, not to be deterred, settled for placing his front paws on the couch and resting his head on Kara’s stomach as she ran her hands through his fur. 

“We’re meeting in the bar at eight. Shower, food, sleep.” Kara muttered, sounding like she was half asleep herself. 

Lena watched on in amusement as Kara valiantly struggled to stay awake, but she sat up with her phone in hand, noticeably more awake as she placed an order for pizza, nodding in agreement to whatever the person on the other line was saying. 

“Pizza will be here soon. I’m gonna run up to shower.” Kar stood up and stretched, arms above her head making the muscles in her stomach taut, then she shook herself out of it, throwing a ‘see you soon’ over her shoulder before she disappeared up the stairs. 

Lena quickly showered, taking more time than she thought as she had to convince Krypto that she really didn’t need any company in the bathroom, to which he huffed and planted himself stubbornly outside the bathroom door, making her laugh.

Kara beat her, pizza already spread out on the coffee table in the living room, Kara a guilty look on her face as she finished her second slice.

“Sorry, I got hungry.” she said, wiping a smudge of grease from the corner of her mouth.

Lena ate four slices, definitely more hungry than she thought, and soon enough one a half pizzas were devoured, thanks to Kara and a sneaky Krypto who managed to snag a slice when they were both too distracted to catch him in the act. 

“I’m so tired, I could sleep for a week.” Lena groaned, throwing her arm over the back of the couch and closing her eyes.

“Me too.” Kara said. “But don’t think that gets you out of socializing. My alarm is set, and the fun is a waiting.”

Lena laughed, not bothering to open her eyes. “You’re such a dork.” 

She was already half asleep, so she missed the way Kara smiled and rolled her eyes fondly.

“Goodnight Lena, I’ll see you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there you have it folks, thanks for reading!! lmk what you think?  
> dont forget to hmu on tumblr @ petalien and on twitter @ zrhueiaos


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> supercorp rise. 
> 
> note: mon el makes an appearance. he's not that important but he does show up and will be sprinkled throughout the fic. i wrote him as a fun goofy guy bc he deserved that at least. also polyamory ftw

There was something soft tickling Lena’s nose. She grumbled, turning her head away and buried her face instead into the comforting warmth underneath her. She let out a sigh, content where she was with no intention to get up any time soon. 

There was also something wet touching her right foot so she shifted, sticking her cold feet under the soft blanket. She took a deep breath, inhaling the soft, sweet scent of her pillow and hugged it tighter to her body.

It was only then that she noticed that her pillow wasn’t a pillow at all. It was, in fact, the very solid body of Kara Danvers. Who was also very much awake. Lena winced, her body tensing, but a soothing hand ran up and down the expanse of her back and she let out a soft groan, burying her face even further into the crook of Kara’s neck, absolutely embarrassed.

She felt more than heard Kara’s soft laughter, and Lena opened an eye, looking up to find Kara staring down at her, a smile on her face.

“Rise and shine, sunshine.” Kara said softly, her hand continuing the soothing motion on her back. 

“No.” Lena grumbled, gripping the front of Kara’s shirt when Kara tried to shift out from under her.

“Yes! Bar, friends, fun. We went over this. Don’t think just because you look adorably sleepy means we’re staying in.”

Lena wondered if Kara could feel how warm her face got, and she huffed, her warm breath tickling Kara’s neck. She did, however, file the adorable comment for later, when she was less embarrassed and more in a position to tease Kara.

“Are you ever going to come out of there?” Kara laughed, her hand resting on Lena’s lower back. 

“Embarrassed.” Lena said, muffled by Kara’s skin.

“What? Why?” Kara said. “Because you fell asleep on me? In all fairness, I fell asleep on you first. I guess we were both a lot more tired than we thought. But it’s party time! So come on, before I drop you.”

Lena didn’t believe Kara’s threat for a second, but she still sat up, sliding off Kara’s lap onto the floor, where Krypto soon joined her, his nose digging into her side as yawned and stood up, stretching out the slight kink in her neck that undoubtedly came from sleeping on Kara for the past few hours. 

Kara sat up on the couch, looking a lot more awake and excited, rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand before jumping up, loudly declaring Lena had half an hour to get ready.

Lena had no idea what to expect at the bar, so she dressed in the most comfortable clothes she had, her favorite pair of well-worn jeans and a blouse that had seen better days but was still nice enough to wear out. Or at least she thought so, she’d never gone out much, and when she had she was dressed to impressed. 

Even now she felt severely underdressed to meet Kara’s friends, but Kara gave her a quick once over and assured Lena that she looked great, Kara’s outfit similar to Lena’s own enough that Lena felt a little more confident.

They took the Zor-El this time, Kara laughing wildly as Lena told her about how she hard a hard time starting the car. On the way, Kara explained the car’s functions, even telling Lena about the science behind it, how it depended entirely on solar power and how hard it was for her to figure out the engineering behind a car.

“Wait, you’re telling me you designed this car?” Lena asked, beyond impressed.

“Yup!” Kara’s chest puffed out proudly. “I had to learn about cars first, which I knew nothing about so it took longer than what I wanted, but I’m really happy with the outcome.”

Lena gave a low whistle. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you Miss Danvers?’ Kara just smiled at Lena. 

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

//

Lena was unsurprised to find that the bar Kara took her too was M’gann’s. She was a little nervous to meet Kara’s friends, dreading the glares and comments they were sure to throw her way when they realized who she was, but when Kara introduced her they all welcomed her with a smile and Lena could sense no hostility from any of them.

“This is my sister, Alex.” Kara said, gesturing to a woman with short red hair, shaved on one side. “This is Winn, you guys have met already. That’s his girlfriend, Lyra, and this is James!”

Kara took her around the table pulled a stool out for her. Lena thanked her and gingerly sat down, feeling a little awkward amongst the new group of people.

At least no one is openly glaring at her, which is the best thing she could've hoped for. Alex is studying her quizzically like she's trying to figure her out. Winn and Lyra just smile at her, but it's James that is looking at her with something she can only describe as hardness in his eyes. She tries not to dwell on it and instead focuses on Alex as she talks. 

“So Lena, what brings you to our little town?” Alex asked. Lena couldn’t help but feel like she was being interrogated and she swallowed before answering.

“I’m here to form a partnership between L-Corp and Zor-El. We want to expand our technology and branch out into even more eco-friendly practices. Zor-El is the very best at that and we wanted the very best so.” Lena said, shrugging a shoulder. 

Everyone around the table nods, and from the corner of her eye she can see Kara smiling proudly at her.

“Alright guys, drinks on me!” Kara exclaimed, and a cheer went around the table as she stood up. “Wanna come?”

Lena nods and follows her, not yet ready to sit alone with Kara’s friends even though they seem nice enough.

“Kara, Lena.” M’gann greets them at the bar. “Nice to see you guys again. What can I get for you?”

Kara rattles off everyones drink orders and Lena tacks hers on the end. M’gann smiles and promises to be back soon.

“So what do you think?” Kara asks, leaning casually against the bar.

“Of your friends?” Lena asks. “They seem nice. I don’t think James likes me though. And your sister is kinda scary.”

Kara laughs. “I told you, she really isn’t scary at all. And James will come around. He’s best friends with Clark. And after the whole Lex thing he kind of, hated your family.” Kara winced, and Lena frowned slightly. “Sorry, I should’ve phrased that better. He won’t say anything though, and if he does, let me know, okay?”

Lena just nods and leans on the bar too facing the crowd. Her gaze wanders over to their table and she catches James glaring at her but he looks away when they make eye contact. She sighs, but at the very least he hasn’t said anything to her yet. 

She’s too focused on the table that she doesn’t notice a man walk up behind Kara until it’s too late.

“What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” His voice is one Lena easily recognizes. She doesn’t know the man personally, but she knows his type; cocky, full of bravado and an ego the size of a house.

She turns in time to watch Kara stiffen, and Lena is ready to open her mouth in retort when a huge grin spreads across Kara’s face and she turns, her arms wrapping around the man’s broad shoulders.

“Mon-El!” Kara said, looking unbothered by the comment.

The man, Mon-El, wraps his arms around Kara’s waist and easily lifts her up into the air, hugging her to his chest. Lena shifts her weight, feeling annoyed by him already. He sets her down, one hand still lingering on Kara’s hip, a big grin on his face.

“I heard you guys were getting together.” Mon-El said. “You know I never miss a good party.”

“You’re usually the one that throws the parties!” Kara laughed.

“That is very true, Kara.” Mon-El looks over Kara right at Lena and she can’t help the glare that she shoots him, her eyes staring right into his. “And who’s this?”

“Oh! Shoot, my bad.” Kara turns and Lena is drawn into her space. “This is Lena Luthor. She’s here for a collaboration between L-Corp and Zor-El. But I’m trying to get her to also enjoy herself so I dragged her here.”

“Who said you can’t mix business and pleasure?” Mon-El smiles, showing of a row of perfect white teeth. “Mike Matthews, though my friends call me Mon-El.” He sticks his hand out for her to shake, and Lena automatically goes for his hand, hoping that the smile on her face doesn’t look like a grimace.

“Lena Luthor, pleasure.” Lena’s tone suggest she is anything but pleased to meet him, thankfully she’s learned to hide her displeasure, but Kara still raises an eyebrow and looks at her briefly with confusion. 

“I hope you enjoy yourself during your visit Lena. Work is important, but so is having fun.” Mon-El said, unfazed by her glare.

“So I’ve heard.” Lena hums and Mon-El just smirks at her. 

“If you ever need any help finding some fun.” Mon-El’s voice dripped with insinuation and it took everything in Lena not to outwardly gag, “then you know who to call.”

“I’m a lesbian.” She says it without missing a beat. Kara’s eyes go wide and Lena winces internally. Probably not the best thing she could’ve said right then. 

Mon-El’s smile is easy, and she wishes she could do something to wipe it off his face.

“Hey that’s cool. I have no problem with gay people. I just meant if you wanna know where the hottest hangouts are, best parties, stuff like that. I didn’t mean to offend.” Mon-El raises his hands up in surrender, even going so far as to take a step back as if to prove that he meant no harm.

“Speaking of hottest hangouts, where are your better halves?” Kara pipes up, a tray of drinks in her hands. Lena was too busy glaring at Mon-El to notice M’gann hand them over. 

As a group the three of them walk back to the table and Lena notices that two others have joined the group. 

“There they are!” Kara exclaims. Everyone turns to face her, a cheer going round as drinks are passed out. Lena and Kara end up having to stand since their chairs are now occupied while one of the two women makes room for Mon-El.

“Lena, this is Imra and this is Gayle, but we call her Psi.” Kara points at the two women. Imra is tall,blue eyes and brown hair, a smile on her face as she nods at Lena. Psi is also tall, her hair blonde and eyes blue but she isn’t smiling, her face serious but not unkind. She and Mon-El are sharing a seat and Lena wonders if they’re together. Not that it’s any of her business. 

They quickly settle, drinks in hand and Lena feels like an outsider. Everyone knows each other, and she knows only Kara so it’s a little awkward, even though they all do their best in trying to include her in the conversation. It’s nice really, how they ask her questions about her, and it’s refreshing, not having to answer questions about her family. 

Throughout the night she learns things about them. Like how Alex is married to a woman, Maggie, that couldn’t attend because she was working that night. How Winn actually interned with Cat Grant for a while before moving to work with Kara. That James, Clark and Lex were the best of friends at one point, and that the Clark Kent is Kara’s cousin. She even learns that Mon-El, Imra and Psi are all together, Mon-El jokingly saying ‘this is my wife, Imra, and this is her wife, Psi.’ 

Lena doesn’t know why but she breathes a bit easier after Mon-El said that. She even learns that she comes to like him as the night goes on. James opens up to her a bit too, the hostility she sensed off him disappearing in relation to either the beer he keeps drinking or just the way that the group accepts her as one of them quickly.

By the time they’re getting ready to leave, Lena has already been invited to: a kickass party courtesy of Mon-El, a chance to visit Winn’s house where he swears he has the best gaming set up in the history of man, and a free day at the spa in Alex’s hotel. It’s as successful an outing as any on her book.

Kara and Lena are both tired on the way home, Lena still basking in the warmth of her newfound friendships to even speak and Kara leaving her thoughts. They’re driving up the pathway that Lena is becoming familiar with when Kara starts talking.

“So, did you have a good time?” she asks.

“I did.” Lena smiles at Kara. “Thank you for forcing me to go out. I honestly had a great time and everyone was so nice.”

“I don’t wanna say I told you so but.” Kara grins at Lena and Lena can only roll her eyes.

“Fine fine, you did, I’ll give you that. Reminded me to never doubt you again.”

Kara opens the door to the house and lets Lena go in first. “Duly noted. But just so you know, now you’re obligated to come out with me for the duration of your stay.”

“What?” Lena turns, halfway down the hall and crosses her arms, a pout directed in Kara’s direction. “I promised no such thing.”

Kara shrugs and smiles. “You just did. ‘Remind me never to doubt you again’? I’ll show you that you can have a good time and still work. Mix up your business and pleasure Lena.”

Lena just watches Kara for a moment, studying her. She roams her face, Kara’s eyes soft and maybe a little glasy from the alcohol but no less sincere. She smiles at her friend and nods. “Deal. Goodnight Kara.”

“Goodnight Lena.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just noticed that i ended these last two chapters the same way oops. Thanks for Reading!!!!! Comments fuel me. also check out my other story 'for the love of dog' if you like soff puppies and soff supercorp
> 
> follow me on twtiter @ zrhueiaos since i dont use tumblr much anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its short but its fluffy which makes up for it, right?
> 
> right??!??!?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shows up late with a starbucks and sunglasses*
> 
> i stupidly updated this chapter to the wrong fic aklsjdkjasd nobody @ me

Sunday morning Lena woke up to a dozing Krypto at the foot of her bed. She smiled at the sight, already getting used to the white dog around the house and his tendency to jump on her bed during the nights. She smiles as she thinks back to when Kara promised Krypto would stay out of her bedroom, yet she goes to sleep most nights now with him sprawled somewhere in her room.

The kitchen is empty this morning when she finally coaxes her tired body out of bed. It’s also weird now too not seeing her friend bustling around, but she supposed that Kara is probably sleeping in after such an exhausting day. The rain pouring outside only adds to the overall laziness she feels. She wishes briefly that she was back in bed too, but her hungry stomach loudly demanded that she tend to it. 

Krypto follows her into the kitchen, laying down on his preferred spot in the middle of the floor that Lena’s learned to navigate around to avoid tripping or stepping on him, and his fluffy tail thumps rhythmically as he follows her around the kitchen with his eyes. 

Just when Lena is sitting at the bar to eat, the front door opens with a loud wack, startling Lena and Krypto. They both turn to face it, Lena with her heart hammering in her chest, feeling like it’s about to burst, Krypto looking mildly annoyed that his mid-morning nap is interrupted, though his hackles are slightly raised and his ears are pointed straight up. 

Kara burst in, dripping from head to toe in water. 

“Kara?” Lena inteads for it to come out as a question but her voice is a little strangled and she’s sure it comes from the feeling of having her heart in her throat. “Are you okay? You scared me.”

Kara’s just standing in front of the door now, dripping water all over the floor and looking pitiful. “I’m fine. Went for a run and got caught in the rain.” She’s shivering, and Lena jumps into motion, running past Kara into her bedroom and grabbing a towel that she then wraps around Kara’s trembling shoulders.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Lena asks as she attempts to rub some warmth back into her friend’s cold body.

“I figured you were still asleep.” Kara just shrugs and pulls the towel closer around herself, her hands rubbing at the water dripping down her legs. She kicks her shoes off and walks towards the kitchen, groaning and throwing her head back as she plops down on one of the chairs.

“I would’ve gone to get you no matter what, you know that right?” Lena raises an eyebrow at her and Kara shivers, not from the cold but from the iciness in Lena’s look. She knows that it’s because she cares, and just that fact alone warms her up just the slightest bit. 

Lena is still mumbling at her angrily under her breath, but she presses a warm cup of coffee into Kara’s trembling hands and starts whipping up a quick breakfast for her friend. Krypto noses Kara’s thigh, whining softly. 

“I’m okay buddy, it’s just water.” Kara soothes the dog, rubbing him between the ears just the way he likes it. Lena places the food in front of Kara, not without another glare directed her way, before she sits besides her, scooping her food into her mouth.

“Are you mad at me?” Kara asks.

Lena sighs, “I mean, only a little? More like I was worried that something could’ve happened to you, especially going up the mountain.”

Kara rolls her eyes and bumps her shoulder into Lena’s “Don’t be so grumpy Lena. I really didn’t wanna wake you up. And I had fun, I hadn’t run through the rain in a while.”

“Just don’t come crying to me when you get a cold.” Lena huffs but bumps Kara’s shoulder back.

“You and I both know that’s not how it works.” Kara laughs. “But don’t worry I won’t, I’ll ask Mon-El.” The words get the reaction out of Lena that Kara was hoping for, a raise of her eyebrows and a tint of red in her cheeks. Lena meet’s Kara’s stare and when she realizes that Kara is joking she rolls her eyes and huffs again. 

“I hope you get sick.” Lena grumbles, sticking a spoonful of egg in her mouth. Kara throws her head back and laughs loudly, absolutely besides herself at Lena’s reaction, and when Lena’s cheeks turn even redder, Kara’s practically on the floor.

Krypto decides the two women are being way too loud for a Sunday morning and wanders away, causing Lena to join in on the laughter after Kara points it out. By the time the laughter fades, Lena feels the beginning of a six pack coming on and Kara is wiping at her eyes. 

The silence that follows settles around them comfortably, and Kara and Lena finish off their breakfast, the only sound now the rhythmic pounding of the rain outside and the occasional crack of thunder. 

Lena is the first to break the peace when she notices the violent shiver that goes down Kara’s spine.

“Kara, you need to change.” She says it sternly, an eyebrow raised. She knows Kara well enough now to know that Kara will argue about it or put it off until later, but she looks really uncomfortable and Lena has no intention of sitting next to a wet and shivering Kara as they watch the movies Kara planned for them that day. 

Kara rolls her eyes but stands up anyways, grabbing Lena’s plate and dumping it into the sink on the way up to the stairs. Lena takes a moment to finish the last remains of her coffee, her hands wrapped around the cup as the warmth seeps into her palms. She feels utterly at ease and is more than content to spend the day there but Kara has a movie day planned and the couch is comfier anyways.

She finishes her cup then goes to the sink and starts on the dishes, feeling a little lazy and throwing what she can into the dishwasher, wiping down the countertops and even going so far as to grab one of Krypto’s bowls that she keeps on her floor and calling him into the kitchen to feed him, figuring that Kara should get a small break even from such a menial task. 

She’s settled on the couch, Krypto on the other couch in the living room, chewing on one of his various toys. Kara bounces into the room, freshly showered and wearing a pair of soft, gray looking pants and an even softer white t-shirt. Her hair is up in a bun and somehow she looks even more comfortable than Lena who didn’t even bother changing when she first got out of bed.

“Hey!” Kara smiles at Lena as she sits next to her on the couch, folding her legs under her and turning to face her. “So I thought for your movie education, we’d start with the older classics. Groundhog Day, The Truman Show and Forrest Gump.” 

“I really have no idea what you’re talking about Kara, but I trust you.” Lena smiles and leans back into the couch, grabbing the blanket thrown over the back and spreading it across both their legs. 

Kara laughs and pats Lena’s thigh over the blanket. “They’re absolutely silly but trust me, they’re very crucial to your movie-cation!” 

“Movie-cation? Really?” Lena laughs, noticing then that Kara’s hand is still resting gently on her thigh. “Let the movie-cation begin.”

//

Despite how determined Lena was to pay attention to the movies it’s a hell of a lot more entertaining to watch Kara watch the movie. She’s not trying to be a creeper, she really isn’t, but Kara’s face is so expressive, her eyes dancing across the screen, her mouth twisting up into a laugh or down into a pout, or mouthing to the words that she no doubt knew by heart. Lena’s absolutely enthralled. She isn’t even really aware she’s doing it, it just happened, sometime between Kara pressing closer into her side, and when they paused between movies to stretch their muscles and order takeout from Kara’s favorite Indian place. 

The light from the television gives Kara’s skin a soft blue glow, and Lena wishes that she had any sort of artistic ability in her body to try to capture Kara’s likeness on paper. Just the thought makes her fingers itch, part of her wanting to reach out, to be as comfortable with touch as Kara is but half-afraid to scare her away. The other half afraid is that Kara will reciprocate in a way that Lena won’t allow herself to with a business partner and someone she’s come to see as a good friend. 

It’s then that she startles a bit, as she realizes her growing feelings towards Kara, and it produces such a strong emotion in her that she jumps, and Kara turns to her, startled. 

“Are you okay?” the genuine concern in Kara’s voice brings actual tears to her eyes, and Lena isn’t even sure why she’s on the verge of crying, so she nods and clears her throat as she stands.

“All good, just gotta take a quick bathroom break.” She stretches, arms over her head but looking over the top of Kara to avoid having Kara see the tears in her eyes and ask about them. Lena’s so intent on not meeting Kara’s searching gaze that she misses the hard way Kara swallows when Lena’s shirt exposes her hips, and the way Kara’s tongue darts out to wet her suddenly dry lips. 

“Good idea.” Kara’s voice is a little high as she speaks. “I need to clean up. Want some tea or something?” Kara busies herself with grabbing their empty containers and piling them into her arms. Anything to distract herself from how soft Lena’s tummy looks and how much she just wants to press her lips to it. 

Lena shoots back an affirmation and makes her way into her room and into the bathroom. She closes the door behind her, careful not to slam it in her haste and goes to stand in front of the sink, her hands gripping the cool porcelain sink as she gives herself a hard look in the mirror. 

“Stupid Lena, stupid!” Lena mutters to her own reflection. “Some pretty girl is nice two you for a second and you’re falling for her. Useless lesbian!” She groans then, putting her face in her hands and taking a deep breath to calm herself down. Lena’s smart enough to know that the feelings have been creeping up on her for a while, they aren’t out of nowhere. Lena takes another deep breath, hands turning the silver knob on the sink and splashing water on her face. It’s nothing, it’s just feelings and Lena has always been really good at ignoring her feelings. She dries her face, sets her shoulders back and forces herself to shut out whatever she’s feeling way way down, determined to spend as much time with Kara as she can before she leaves. 

Because that’s the thing, that’s why her feelings her Kara overwhelm her now. She’s leaving, not now, not even this week, but Lena doesn’t know how she’s gonna be able to be okay when she’s away from this wonderful girl and her goofy dog. She’s known them for a week, just one week, but the thought of being away makes her chest tighten. Looking over Kara’s face, watching her, simply basking in her presence makes Lena realize just how much she’ll miss her when she goes back to National City.

It’s like a punch to gut, admitting to herself that she likes Kara, more than she even thought she did. It’s a problem. She can’t like Kara. Kara is her work partner now, her extremely generous host who let Lena stay there without letting her pay, and above all she’s Lenas friend. Lena’s first, genuine friend that isn’t her secretary and Lena doesn’t wanna lose her over some stupid feelings. Especially because Kara doesn’t even like her that way, and now Lena just feels childish, like a teen with a crush. 

Lena curses at herself again and takes a few more calming breaths. She’s been in the bathroom long enough that she knows if she shuts herself in any longer Kara will come looking for her. She straightens up and chants a mantra of ‘get over it, get over it’ to herself as she walks back into the living room, a soft smile plastered on her face that she hopes Kara won’t see right past. 

Kara is sitting on the couch in her spot again, legs folded under her, hands cupped around her favorite blue mug. She turns when she hears Lena step on a creaky floorboard and gives Lena an easy smile. If Lena didn’t know any better she’d swear her heart stopped. 

“Hey.” Kara pats the empty spot beside her. “Get back here, I’m cold.”

Lena pads up the steps into the cozy living room, grabbing her end of the blanket off the couch and settling under it, her heart pounding so loud in her chest she’s worried Kara might hear it. Once she’s ready Kara presses a warm mug into her hand.

“Made you an Earl Grey, I remembered how much you liked it.” Lena feels like the warmth from the tea spreads from the tips of her fingers to the rest of her body and she can’t help the shiver that runs down her spine. Kara immediately adjusts the blanket draped across them, setting her own cup down to run her hands across Lena’s shoulders and make sure she’s comfortable. 

Once Kara has deemed her friend cozy enough she nods, self satisfied and grabs her cup and the controller off the table.

“You ready?” Kara asks her. “We still have a hell of a ride ahead of us.”

“With you, I’m always ready.” Lena replies. 

Kara gives her a smile and hits the play button, snuggling closer to Lena’s side and Lena realizes that she’s so screwed. She just hopes she can survive whatever comes next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow hhh im so sorry this is late and so short but!! lena is a gay mess and idk about yall but im here for it
> 
> next chapter will def be a lot longer to make up for it dont worry about it lol 
> 
> come yell at me on tumblr[ petalien](http://petalien.tumblr.com/tagged/supergirl)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to 13unknownmind for being wonderfully encouraging!
> 
> this chapter got like, kind of all over the place so I had to cut it in two. enjoy!

Lena realizes that it’s both easier and harder to ignore her growing feelings towards Kara when they’re working. When she works, she’s focused completely on her task, barely remembering to take breaks or resting. It’s usually Kara that coaxes her to come out of the lab long enough to sit a minute and eat with her. Kara also finds herself often times dragging Lena back home, but not without Lena pouting like a child getting told they have to leave the park and can’t play anymore.

It’s a double edged sword in that way, working alongside Kara, spending most of their waking hours together and even sleeping under the same roof. Kara is everywhere, personally seeing to the project which means she’s always in the lab with Lena, or right alongside her at board meetings, letting Lena handle most of the work itself but offering invaluable input that goes to show just how intelligent she is without flaunting it. It leaves Lena in awe more often than not. But Lena has had years of experience, of learning to compartmentalize her emotions, not letting them get in the way of her goals, and so she shoves her feelings for Kara as deep as they’ll go and tells herself that it’ll never work between them, that they’re better off as friends. It works for the most part. 

It’s nearing seven pm, Kara’s predetermined quitting time after she found Lena had stayed in the lab until two am and Kara had to half carry her out, and Lena groans in frustration and slams her hand on the tabletop that she’s working on. 

“What’s got you all worked up, Luthor?” Winn asks, trotting towards Lena and looking over her shoulder at the pieces of metal she has strewn about on the table. 

“Hey Winn.” Lena sighs and rubs a hand tiredly over her face. “It’s just this stupid code isn’t working. I’ve gone over it so many times, it’s starting to all blur together.” She stares at the computer and parts in front of her as if that will make it reveal its secrets. 

“Well, it’s time to call it a day I’d say. It’ll be here tomorrow.” Winn taps twice on the table with his knuckles and a smile on his face. 

Lena turns to face him and levels him with a glare that has the other man gulping. It serves no other purpose than to rile him up a bit, an activity that she and Alex bonded over, but it spurs him into action nonetheless. 

“Or, I could take a look at it?” He squeaks out.

“By all means.” Lena sweeps her hand over her work mockingly, moving back to give him room.

Winn shoots her a quick look before hunching over her work table, brow furrowed. He carefully moves wires and pieces of metal around, his eyes roving carefully over everything, one, twice, three times. Winn uses a pair of tweezers to pull out two wires and very carefully switches them around, squatting down to the point that he’s almost at eye level with the table. Lena stays quiet, watching him curiously. 

It’s not until Winn steps back with a triumphant grin and an ‘Aha!’ That she laughs and pats him on the back. She sees now that she had connected the wires wrong, but she had spent so much time staring at it that eventually they all sorta blurred together. She flicks the switch and sure enough the little device on the table beeps and the small light glows blue, indicating that it’s on. 

“I still can’t believe Kara just has you behind a computer all day.” Lena says, nudging Winn’s shoulder with her own. 

Winn laughs and shrugs. “I like it better, but I get my hands dirty once in a while too. You’ve seen her optimal capacitors?” Lena nod and gestures for him to keep talking. “Yup, that was me, and Eve helped too. Needed smaller ones for a little side project and ended making them here.”

Lena gives a low whistle. “Impressive. What else can you do?”

Winn blushes slightly under the praise and shrugs. “A little bit of stuff here and there. I’m a bigger fan of coming in and helping people get unstuck. Kara uses me to bounce ideas off of.”

Lena hums and grabs the device, mindful of the wires and pieces that still stick out. “I can see why.” She sets it down and crosses her arms, leaning into Winn’s side and he wraps an arm around her shoulder. 

It’s something that she’s slowly become more comfortable with. If you asked her a few weeks ago, she’d tell you that most people wouldn’t touch a Luthor with a ten foot pole, and she most certainly wouldn’t be the first to approach someone with physical contact either. But Kara’s tactile nature and her unique ability to bulldoze through Lena’s walls have made it so Lena’s used to physical contact and initiates it too. Mostly with Kara, but she’s even gone so far as to hug Mon-El when they all go out to the bar.

She and Winn had also gotten pretty close from spending so much time together. They both take lunch together, after Kara had Winn keep an eye on Lena when she was otherwise occupied, and quickly started geeking out over one thing or another that just made Kara roll her eyes fondly at the both of them. They even planned on building a computer for Psi together after she casually mentioned that she was looking for a good one.

“Let’s get out of here kid.” Winn pats her shoulder and the two of them make their way out of the lab, Lena doubling back to make sure everything was locked tight before leaving.

Winn is still pressed to her side when they get down to the first floor and walk out of the elevator and into the lobby where Eve, Kara’s secretary, greets them with a polite smile. Eve has also joined them more than once in the lab, the secretary surprising Lena with her knowledge of the medical field, and her ability to hold her drink too on the rare occasion that she makes an appearance at the bar.

“So does Kara just hire the smartest people she can find and stick them behind a desk on purpose?” Lena asks as they make their way to the parking area. 

“Nah.” Winn shrugs. “She’s the best boss ever. If someone is doing a job it’s because they wanna be there. And Kara’s usually really good about promoting people and getting them into the job they want, as long as they work for it of course.” Winn stops in the middle of the parking lot and looks around in confusion. 

“What car are you driving today?”

“Oh! The Model Z.” Lena digs her set of keys out from her bag and taps twice on the diamond ‘S’ crest. It beeps softly and then they hear a louder beep coming from their right. They both head off in that direction.

“God, I love that so much.” Winn grins, grabbing the keys out of Lena’s hands and fiddling with the charm in his palm. 

Lena nods and snatches the keys back. “No touchy. We both know only I can drive that car. Am I taking you home or is Lyra picking you up today?”

The car unlocks as they approach it and the driver side door opens automatically. 

“Ride, please? She’s working late. Actually, can I just come over?” Winn asks even as he opens the passenger door and gets in anyways. Lena huffs, pressing her hand against the glass and smiling as the car purrs on. 

“Next time, I’m gonna starting charging you. Premium uber prices too.” Lena smoothly pulls the car out of the parking lot and makes her way into the city.

“As long as I get a ride on this baby, I’m okay with that.” Winn sticks his tongue out at Lena then begins fiddling with the controls. 

It’s a little ridiculous really, how much stuff the car can do, but Kara and her top scientists and engineers really packed as much as they could into the car and Lena is in no position to complain, not that she has any reason to. With only the push of a few buttons, the car seats begin to cool, a sweet respite from the blazing temperatures outside. Lena sighs contentedly and smiles as the screen on the dashboard changes to a map, showing her the route to Kara’s.  
By now she knows her way around the little town by heart, but she always takes the scenic route, swearing that she falls in love with the view of the water more and more as the days go by.

She comes almost to a full stop as the sun starts setting, and she’s not the only one. The entire traffic is at a standstill, barely a crawl as everyone takes a moment to admire the setting sun. It’s a sight to see, the sun slowly sinking over the horizon, the sky a magnificent gradient of colors, reds, blues, yellow and purple all coming together over the open sea to create such a stunning sight that Lena wishes she could take that feeling home. There’s people along the seafront pausing to take pictures with the naturally beautiful backdrop, and Lena smiles as she watches children laugh and point and ooh and ahh at the sky. The statues on the seafront look gorgeous against the colors of the sky too, and Lena takes out her phone to snap a quick picture. 

Just as soon as it started to set, the sun is down, and the cars that were moving at a crawling pace start up again. With the sun down, the city starts cooling too, and Lena turns off the seat cooler and rolls the windows down to enjoy the fresh smell of the sea on the breeze, mixing with all the smells of the food vendors on the seafront and across the street. Laughter spills out from bars, already open despite how early isn’t the day it still is, and every shop facing the sea has it’s door thrown wide open.

Winn’s face is just as pressed to glass as hers is, and she knows that no matter how long you’ve lived in the town the sight of something like that never really gets old. 

When they finally get to the bottom of the mountain where Kara lives, the guard at the gates to the sprawling neighborhood just waves her on by, and soon they’re making their way up the side of the mountain to where Kara’s house sits at the top.

“Is it true that Bruce Wayne has a house here? Have you seen him at all? Or I think one of the Kardashians too?” Winn asks, face pressed to the glass as he looks at the various other houses that pack the mountains.

“I don’t know Winn, but I’ll be sure to ask him next time I see him.” Lena replies.

“What!” Winn exclaims, turning in his seat to face Lena. “You know him? He’s like, the coolest guy ever!”

“He was my partner on a project back in National City.” Lena smiles, eyes sparkling as she fields questions from Winn for the remainder of their drive.

“So do you think if I move in Kara will even notice at all?” Winn asks once they’re inside the house. 

“She probably will, it’s not that big. Also don’t you like your house? It’s like one less floor than this one.” Lena asks, squatting down to greet Krypto when he bounds over to them. 

“She has a better view.” Winn grumbles, walking into the living room and flicking the TV on as he sits on the couch. “And an elevator.”

“You only have two floors Winn.” Lena replies, cooing at the fluffy dog as he lays on his back so she can rub his belly. It was probably the most relaxing thing that she started doing after spending all day at the lab, and it’s become a bit of a ritual for both her and the dog. “Also Im sure Lyra would be here within the hour if she noticed you’re gone.”

Winn just grunts in reply and flicks through the TV channels.

“I missed you so much buddy. Such a fluffy little boy.” Lena has both hands rubbing Krypto’s belly, the dog lapping up all the attention like he’s never been pet in his life, making pathetic little sounds that just make Lena laugh all the more.

“What about me, huh?” Kara appears at the top of the stairs, arms crossed in mock annoyance and Lena can’t stop the smile that spreads on her face even if she wanted to.

“Yeah yeah, I missed you too I guess.” She says, glancing only at her friend before looking back down at Krypto. 

Kara huffs but joins her on the floor, one hand already finding its way into Krypto’s thick fur while the other playfully shoves at Lena’s shoulder. 

“And after everything that I’ve done for you.” She puts her hand on her chest, looking wounded, but there’s a grin on her face that says otherwise. 

Lena yelps as she’s unbalanced and falls back, glaring up at Kara and she’s quick to shove her back with a defiant shout. Kara barely moves, and raises an eyebrow as an unspoken challenge. 

Krypto, realizing that Kara and Lena are no longer gonna pay him any attention, stands up and shakes his body, bounding over to Winn. He jumps on the couch, pretty much ignoring that Winn is already on there and lands on him with an ‘oof’ and a resigned sigh from the man.

Back on the floor, Lena is quick to raise her hands, shaking her head at Kara. “Nope, no way. You’re definitely stronger than me and I plan on getting back to National City in one piece.”

“You’re no fun, but suit yourself.” Kara stands and extends a hand to help Lena up, brushing her pants free of a Krypto’s fur and bumping into Lena playfully as they wash their hands at the sink. When they’re done, Kara smacks Lena in the face with her hand towel and laughs at the other woman’s shocked expression. Lena just shoots her a glare and rolls her eyes at her friends antics. When they’re done drying themselves off they wander back into the living room, where Winn is now half trapped under a mass of white fluff, although he doesn’t look like he seems to mind too much since both him and the dog look perfectly content. Since the couch is currently occupied, Kara takes up residence on the window seat alcove and Lena sits at a comfy Lay-Z-Boy over to Winn’s right. 

“So what brings you to my humble abode?” Kara asks, eyes watching in amusement as Winn struggles to sit up, giving up when Krypto refuses to move from his spot on Winn’s chest. 

“Boredom? Hunger? Riding in the Z?” Winn shrugs. “Really, there were a lot of factors that went into this decision.”

“Lyra still working huh?” Kara asks, the question directed at Winn but her eyes on Lena. 

Lena just cracks a smile and nods. “Also, I think he’s thinking of moving in here soon, just a heads up darling.”

“I won't mind but Lyra will break down my door when she catches wind of you here.”

“That’s what I said!” Lena laughs, watching as Winn pouts a little but succeeds mostly in getting a face full of fur. 

“Whatever, you guys just don’t want me here to keep me away from your girls nights or whatever you crazy kids get up to.” Winn grumbles and changes the channel again. 

“Hey, I was watching that!” Kara throws one of the pillows and it smacks face first into Winn. This time he just shoves at Krypto, and the dog jumps off and wanders away as Winn and Kara get into a full blown pillow fight, trying to cajole Lena into joining but leaving her alone when she declines. 

Lena is content to just watch them from the safety of her couch, a soft smile on her lips as she watches her two friends take turns whacking each other in the face with Kara’s pillows. It’s nice, she thinks, to unwind like this after a long day without the familiar weight of glass in her hand. Instead it’s with her friends’ laughter and a happy dog waiting for her at the door, and the setting of the sun over the surface of the ocean so still that it looks like a mirror in the colors of the sky. 

She’s brought out of her reverie by a red pillow hitting her square in the face, startling her so much that she lets out a squeak which causes Winn and Kara to erupt into giggles across the room.

“Stop thinking so hard, you’re off the clock.” Kara chastises. “Whatever it is can wait for later. Right now it’s food time and then we’re going out.”

“Food? Out? Wh- Kara it’s Thursday night?” It comes out more of a question then intended, but Lena is still reeling a little from the sudden pillow assault. 

“Yeah but PBD’s opens Thursdays, and you def have to go Lena.” Winn pipes up. “Also, I vote for burgers tonight. From the little place by Alex’s.” He pays his belly to emphasize his words, “I’m a growing boy and growing boys need their protein.”

“Winn, you’re 26, give it a rest.” Kara smacks him again with a pillow.

“A man can dream, Kara.” He shoves her away and all three of them burst into laughter again. 

“Well, considering I am free for the rest of the night, why not?” Lena says, hugging the pillow to her chest and grinning at her friends over the top of it.

“Wow, thank you for making some time for your best friends in your ‘oh so busy’ schedule’ Lena.” Kara says in a mocking tone, throwing another pillow at her. “We’re so grateful that you can grace us with your presence tonight.”

Lena laughs and throws the pillow back at her, missing her entirely but getting Winn in the head instead.

“Oops, my bad.” she laughs shakes her head. “Fine fine, we’ll go, but I just need to know one thing.”

“And that would be..” Winn asks, sitting on the edge of the couch with a pillow trapped between his legs.

“What does PBD’s stand for anyways?”

At that, Winn and Kara throw their heads back in laughter, Kara’s face turning an impressive shade of red and Krypto comes over to watch her in what could only be described as concern. They’re still laughing as they get into the car, Lena and Kara changing into more appropriate outfits, with Kara driving and Winn taking the back seat. 

“So are you guys gonna tell me or not?” Lena asks again, turning so that she can look at Winn in the backseat.

She can barely hear the answer over their rambunctious laughter, and it’s finally Alex that tells her, making hard eye contact the whole time while they’re grabbing burgers. Lena barely has time to swallow her mouthful before she chokes on it,

“Pretty Big Dicks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you wanna see the beach house that i based kara's home at you can check it out [here!](https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p922799vb)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops? have some "angst" but it's not really angst, lena just doesn't know how to deal w her feelings which is a big wlw mood. a lil dialogue heavy towards the end, no ragerts tho

PBD’s isn’t exactly what Lena’s expecting, it’s somehow more. From the outside it looks like any other club on the street by the beach, although the line is noticeably longer, curving around the side of the building and Lena fidgets a little at the thought of waiting to get in.

Thankfully, they don’t have to wait, the bouncer giving them a cordial nod and waving them by when he spots Kara among the group. Kara gives him a bright smile in return and places a gentle hand on his massive forearm as they walk by. Lena watches the interaction with curiosity but no one else seems to notice anything out of the ordinary so she just writes it off as another one of those things about Kara Danvers and follows the rest of the group inside.

Inside it’s huge to say the least, the lights kept low like any other typical club ambient lighting, with neon lights in dizzying swirls of color flashing above a dance floor glowing with pastel colored squares that seemed to throb to the music underfoot. There’s two bars across from each other to the left and the right, and further down she spots a lounge or VIP area that isn’t exactly cordoned off but looks like it should be as most people walk by it and there’s only a smattering of people taking up the seats.

Kara leads the group over to the lounge area, making a beeline for some low couches positioned around some pretty glass tables. There’s two tables, side by side, and each table has a bucket with some bottles and trays full of shots. Alex and Winn go straight for the trays, downing two shots each and then passing two to Kara and Lena. 

Lena grimaces as the alcohol burns the back of her throat and a lemon is placed in her hand that she immediately sucks on gratefully. Before she has much time to ask about the arrangements Mon-El, Imra and Psi break through the crowd, cheering as they’re each handed a pair of shots by Winn and Kara. Alex busies herself with the bottles, and Lena only manages to notice that they’re an assortments of whisky and tequila before she’s pulled into a hug by Imra.

The group settles around on the couches, Lena plopping down next to Kara lest she lose her in the steadily growing crowd. Kara must notice the look on her face because she throws an arm around her shoulder and pulls her close.

“Don’t worry, I got you.” Kara has to lean close to Lena’s ear to be heard over the noise, and Lena can’t help but shiver as Kara’s warm breath fans over her skin. 

“I know you do.” Lena replies, then pulls back to give Kara a reassuring smile. “So is this a regular thing then?”

“Oh yeah, totally.” Kara grins and raises the glass she holds in Lena’s direction. “This is probably like, my favorite club. If you’re wondering, Dan, he’s the bouncer, is a good friend, and he always makes sure we have seats reserved whenever the need strikes us.”

“Wasn’t this spontaneous?” Lena asks, sipping on the drink Alex pressed into her hand earlier. It’s just the right amount of sweet and alcohol and she takes another drink from it before setting it down on the table in front of her and leaning back against her seat.

“Eh, kinda. Mon-El had been bugging me to go for a while and I figured we could all use a break after working so hard.”

“I can’t say I disagree.” Lena nudges Kara’s shoulder playfully and Kara flashes her a brilliant smile. 

Lena settles and bops her head to the thumping rhythm, watching in amusement as Psi and Alex go head to head and down one shot after another, Mon-El and Winn cheering in encouragement. There’s a tap on her shoulder and she turns back to face Kara, raising an eyebrow when she sees the excited look on her face.

“Wanna dance?” She stands and bounces on the balls of her feet, one hand extended in Lena’s direction.

“Of course!” 

Kara drags her up before the words are fully out of Lena’s mouth and really, Lena has no option but to follow her to the dance floor, apologizing to a couple she accidentally bumps into on the way.

The second they reach the crowd, Kara pulls Lena close to her, arms already raised and hips moving to the beat.

It takes a second for Lena’s brain to catch up to what she’s seeing, Kara’s face open and happy as she throws her head back and lets out a wild cheer. Lena’s almost transfixed on the sight of a dancing Kara Danvers, and it’s not until Kara opens her eyes and shoots her a confused look that Lena realizes she’s just standing there staring stupidly at her best friend in the middle of a crowded dance floor.

“Dance, Lena!” Kara yells to be heard above the noise. 

Lena swallows thickly as Kara reaches out and pulls her close, grabbing both of Lena’s arms as if to encourage her to dance. There’s a teasing twinkle in her eyes as she moves to the beat, their bodies so close their chests brush each other lightly when Kara sways forward. The smirk in the corner of Kara’s mouth makes Lena thinks she knows exactly what Kara is doing, but she only raises an eyebrow in reply and moves in tandem. Two can definitely play at that game. 

Kara full on smirks as Lena moves to the music, a determined look crossing her face and Lena doesn’t get a chance to think about what that could possibly mean before Kara has turned in one fluid motion and pressed her back to Lena’s front.

It’s like the wind has been knocked out of her, and it takes everything Lena has to remember to dance as Kara practically grinds up against her. Rising to the unspoken challenge, Lena places her hands on Kara’s swaying hips, pulling her that much closer and moving to match her rhythm. 

She feels more than sees the harsh gasp that Kara gives out when their bodies make contact, but instead of pulling away like Lena thought she might’ve done, Kara leans back into her body, grabbing Lena’s hands and dragging them forward so they’re splayed over her stomach.

Lena’s hands twitch as she feels Kara’s muscles ripple through the thin layer of her shirt, her heart stuttering in her chest at the bold move and she wants to dig her fingers in, feel the muscle better, so she does. She wonders then if she’s been very obvious about her attraction to Kara, not that she’s ever been good about lying to her friend in any capacity, but she’s hoped that Kara was oblivious to her admiring looks and longing sighs that Lena’s thrown her way. 

There’s no doubt that Lena is panting slightly now, having Kara in her arms like this is doing all kinds of things to her, all of them good, and suddenly she wants to know if she’s having the same effect on her friend.

She turns Kara around by the hips, grinning at the surprised look on Kara’s face, just barely catching Kara’s soft gasp at the unexpected movement, and wrapping her arms around her neck to pull her closer, all the while trying to keep moving to the beat.

Kara’s hands settle on her hips, and Lena can feel the warmth of them even through her shirt, and a part of her wonders if Kara’s hands are just that hot or if it’s her touch that’s making Lena feel like she’s burning. 

Lena can’t help but bury her face into Kara’s neck and she muffles a soft groan into the soft skin that she finds. Kara’s grip on her hips tighten and Kara brings her closer, so so close, they’re pressed up so tightly against each other that they can’t even dance properly, just swaying now to the rhythm of their pounding heartbeats. 

Lena’s tempted to mouth at the skin under her lips, to see if Kara will make that soft, sinful moan again, to see if she tastes as sweet as she smells, but she satisfies herself with inhaling  
Kara’s scent. Sweet and sweaty and intoxicating all at once. 

Just as fast as it happened, the moment is broken when a man bumps into Lena, making her stumble forward. She’s still in Kara’s arms so she doesn’t fall, but Kara pulls away from her to growl at the man to ‘watch where you’re going’ and a thrill shoots down Lena’s spine at the huskyness and protectiveness in Kara’s voice. 

It’s only then that she seems to come back to herself, realizes that they’re in the middle of a crowded dance floor, surrounded by strangers, and their friends are most likely nearby too. Lena feels heat crawl up her neck, and she frees herself from Kara’s arms, finding no resistance as she slips away, casting only a backwards glance and catching Kara looking at her in concern before she loses her to the crowd. 

Lena finds herself somehow in the bathroom, her chest heaving as she gasps for air. She splays her hands out against the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. There’s a wild look in her eyes, her pupils dilated with an emotion that she doesn’t even want to address at the moment, her hair in mild disarray from when Kara ran her hands through it before she pulled their hips close. 

She’s mentally cursing herself out, splashing some water on her face to cool her overheated body down and wiping at the water with a paper towel when the door slams open and Lena flinches at the sound. 

Thankfully its someone Lena doesn’t know, the girl drunkenly stumbling to the sink and washing her hands. She shoots Lena a wide smile, and Lena tries to smile back but she’s sure it’s anything but bright. 

The girl frowns, and she blinks at Lena before she steps closer.

“Are you okay?” her words are slightly slurred. “Why do you look sad?”

“Oh, I’m fine.” Lena replies, wincing when she notices how shaky her voice sounds, even to her.

“You don’t seem fine.” The girl tsks and shakes her head, pointing an accusing finger at Lena’s face. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’m gonna help.”

Lena blows out a heavy breath, debating whether or not she’s going to, but she glances back at the girl and she figures it’s worth a shot. She’d been dying to tell someone and she doubts the other girl will remember come morning.

“So, I kind of really like my best friend. A lot.” It comes out in a rush, but the girl seems to understand.

“Okay? So what’s the problem?” she asks, crossing her arms and leaning against the sink to face Lena.

“I can’t like her. She’s my friend. My best friend. And also kind of my work partner?”

“I still don’t see what the deal is. Most people date people who’re their best friends. Your partner should be like your best friend, but like with added benefits, like kissing and sex and stuff. Does she not like you?”

Lena feels her face heat up as unbidden thoughts of doing that with Kara cross her mind, and she huffs out a laugh. “I don’t know. You’re right, but I don’t think it would be a good idea. What if it goes bad? We’re living together, and I leave back across to National City in a month so even if we did get together, I wouldn’t get to see her.”

The girl squints and leans closer to Lena. “Hey, you were the one dancing with Blondie outside, right? Look, I saw you guys for like only two seconds and looked away, mostly because y’all looked like you were a sec away from boning on the dance floor and I did not wanna see that.” 

“And second, I saw enough to see the way she was looking at you. She’s as into you as you are into her I swear. Besides, you’re a total hottie and she’d have to be blind not to see that. And, I don’t know about you, but the things I regret the most are the ones I never took a chance on doing, and if I was you, I’d take a chance on her. And doing her.”

Once again Lena feels herself heat up, but she nods at the girl. “I guess you’re right. But I also don’t want to lose her as a friend. I don’t know if I can risk that. I don’t know if I can risk losing her.”

The girl rolls her eyes in exasperation. “Sweetie, you won’t lose her. Even if you tell her how you feel and she doesn’t feel the same way, which I highly doubt still. If your friendship is as strong as you say it is, it’ll survive, and if you guys get together, that just means you already have a good foundation to build a romantic relationship of off. Not a snowballs chance in hell that you’ll ever lose her. And if you do,” at this, the girl looks Lena up and down with a glint in her eye, “you come find me and I’ll help you forget all about her.”

With a wink and a flirty wave, the girl turns and leaves a stunned Lena standing in the middle of the bathroom. 

She sighs, turning back to look at herself in the mirror. The sound of a flushing toilet startles her, and she tries to compose herself before the other woman comes out of the bathroom stall. Her eyes flicking up in the direction of the door, and she feels the blood drain from her face when she locks eyes with Alex Danvers through the mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for not writing in so long, life is heckin cray and also i got distracted writing other fics ;A; my wip pile keeps glaring at me
> 
> don't forget to check out the [supercorp zine](https://supercorpzine.tumblr.com/) and snag a copy today! all profits go to the trevor project and the transgender law project!! lots of amazing art and exclusive fics (grab a bundle, maybe you'll get my postcard hehe)
> 
> also also, come yell at me on [tumblr](http://petalien.tumblr.com/tagged/supergirl) and also [twitter!](https://twitter.com/zrhueiaos) pls yell (read: gently encourage) me to finish it, it really helps and keeps me inspired!

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @ petalien


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